Month: October 2025

You know what I think’s really sad?
I know how really sad you are.
I’m probably gonna leave real soon,
Just wanted to let you know before I say Au Revoir.

1. Au Revoir

This is a continuation from my last post, where I covered each song off The Front Bottoms’s self-titled album. For the opening track of Talon of the Hawk, this is easy.

Au revoir. Au revoir. You probably don’t even know that means.

My interpretation of this track (if it even needs interpreting) is that two people are going through an argument and realise how silly it is before they walk away. The simple lyrics are hilarious and even though they break into a chorus singing “Rock and roll”, the track is still taken very seriously by me.

2. Skeleton

A mix of absolute foot-stomping with vulnerable sorrow, is what makes up most of The Front Bottoms to be fair, but certainly is what powers this song. The riff is juicy and catchy: very hard not to adore. While most of the lyrics are genius, I particularly enjoy the rampage of ranting that follows the second verse

Cause I’m so fucked. But in a good way. I start to cough (literally coughs) taste the butane…

And I can tell that he’s asking her yes or no questions from the way she’s shaking her head from left to right and then UP and down and then left to right again…

It is a song that very openly about getting stoned, but also still beautifully whimsical and creative in how that is depicted; Brian’s ranty singing almost perfectly conveys his hazy thought process throughout his night. Genius.

3. I swear to god the devil made me do it

This is the song. The song that I had to endure my frustrations and eventually become mature enough to realise how good it is. I always get a bit tearful listening to the simple guitar riff over the chorus.

4. Twin Sized Mattress

SHE HOPES I’M CURSED FOREVER TO SLEEP ON A
TWIN SIZED MATTRESS IN SOMEBODY’S ATTIC OR BASEMENT MY WHOLE LIFE

Wow. This song is truly a work of art, but my main reason for liking this song is actually because I think it sounds like it could be from adventure time. Something about the way Brian sings “Wiry broke-down frames of my friend’s bodies” just seems so much like a song an adventure time character would sing, I don’t know.

5. Peach

May have used to skip this one, but can’t justify it anymore. Every verse is written beautifully, but if I had to highlight one:

You were my light, no need to hide.
You were my clock, keep me on time.
You were my angel, you were my crime.
I’ll serve the sentence the rest of my life.

6. Santa Monica

Jolly passing-of-time fluff. A beautiful track full of pleasures, but my pet-love about this track is the way Brian sings:

Loving who I am ’cause what we are.

Something about the way he shakes halfway through the ‘are’ is just so sweet to me.

7. The Feud

A fast-paced song to kick off the second half of the album, perhaps with parallels to ‘Be Nice to me’ from their later Rose EP. I think their songwriting had improved so much since their first album that there really aren’t many synths about here; the songs and their shape are enough.

He… is the sound you want now

And I… am just a noise you don’t

The comparison between ‘sound’ and ‘noise’ here is really clever in my opinion, because it’s a subtlety that is often unnoticed.

8. Funny you should ask

Other than the absolutely popping drums and tracking to this stomper, this song paints a very detailed picture (as long as you don’t watch the music video of them just holding animals) of a real lifetime bitterness built up here that is so reachable.

Come on Chelsea, speak a little French to me,
heard you spend two whole semesters drinking wine.
While I was stuck in Jersey trying to save some money…

9. Tattooed Tears

You had me go from what I thought was sliding carefully to seriously slipping out of control.

We’re getting to the part of the album where instead of laughing or crying, the hairs on my spine are simply standing. The above lyric isn’t only what cuts it, the rhythmic gallop through this simple space is so carefully crafted, and then suddenly ripped through with the most simple plea:

I’m gonna have to learn that this love will never be convenient.

10. Lone star

A really tangible piece of realism here. I love when singers use their own names in the lyrics too. Goes really hard for a song about… an abortion?

437 dollars spent to put things back to where they used to be.

I guess the entire song isn’t completely about just an abortion. Still, it doesn’t beat Arizona by Wunderhorse, which is probably the most deep-cutting song about an abortion you’ve ever heard.

11. Backflip

I’LL MOVE TO FLORIDA

I don’t think those words have ever been more moving in a song. If you find a song where “I’ll move to Florida” is as emotionally compelling, you deserve some brownie points. Somehow, despite the indie/footballish yelling behind lots of the track, it doesn’t fail to appetize.

I also love the simple mono guitar segments. Which just a single string describing where we are. Does that make sense?

12. Everything I own

And finally, a banging closer for what is more than a banging album. Talking of everything I own, I am pleased to brag that I own a copy of this rascal on vinyl disk thanks to my lovely girlfriend Nancy.

Picking my top 5 songs in no particular order from (kind of) my top 5 artists in no particular order, plus some extra crackers which I just have to through into the mix.

Pavement

Pavement – the band who are constantly top streamed despite me thinking I stream others more… Weird. I’ve only seen them live once, at Bluedot festival in a torrential downpour, but it was enough. Truly a genius live band in my opinion with extra inserts to there songs not included in the studio versions that all fit perfectly and feel well crafted but almost improv like.

Enough about that though, onto the List!

1.) Range Life – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

2.) Here – Slanted & Enchanted

3.) Father to a Sister of Thought – Wowee Zowee

4.) Carrot Rope – Terror Twilight

5.) Fin – Brighten the Corners

Elliott Smith

Like everything on the list making a list of the 5 favourites is hard, because I just adore them all, and that is especially the case with Elliott Smith. I LOVE HIM

here we are…I think

1.) Everything Reminds Me Of Her – Figure 8

2.) Clementine – Elliott Smith

3.) Alphabet Town – Elliott Smith

4.) Between The Bars – Either/Or

5.) Roman Candle – Roman Candle

^{So many more I want to put on – just listen to it all}

The Wedding Present

A household classic, I’ve been to see the Weddos the most out of any band – a running total of 5 different times – including a Musical Adaptation of their songs plotted in a story following a group of friends and their lives. Great Stuff.

1.) Nobody’s Twisting Your Arm – George Best Plus

2.) Brassneck – Bizarro

3.) Dare – Seamonsters

4.) Take Me – Bizarro

5.) My Favourite Dress – George Best Plus

Modern Baseball

After much consideration of putting Modern Baseball or The Front Bottoms, I have to take Modern Baseball on this list as they truly have a special place in my heart (as do The Front Bottoms) and I love all their music (as I do The Front Bottoms)….. hmmmmmmm

1.) Rock Bottom – You’re Gonna Miss It All

2.) The Weekend – Sports

3.) Apartment – You’re Gonna Miss It All

4.) It’s Cold Out Here – Couples Therapy

5.) Re-Do – Sports

^{Shout out Harps}

Title Fight

it was a close fought battle for who could get on this list, but title fight are a band I’ve had on repeat the most recently so, alas.

I do really like them, promise.

1.) 27 – Shed

2.) Lefty – Floral Green

3.) Secret Society – Floral Green

4.) Coxton Yard – Shed

5.) Numb, But I Still Feel It – Floral Green

^{Odd that both the starting songs of Shed and Floral Green made it, but (as well as them being bangers) as the start of the album they have some crazy aura kicking off the albums. Like I know for the next 30-odd minutes I’m listening to one of the greatest Albums I my opinion.}

_{Maybe That Should Be Next? reckon we got doolittle, Analphabetapolothology, Autobahn and Okurimono}