Concept album
The album has been described by numerous critics as a concept album, with its characters portrayed more as villains and victims than as heroes. The effort was an attempt by the band to create a storyline with repeating characters that has a bleak outlook on life, emphasizing the consequences of the characters' selfish choices. A common motif utilized throughout the album is the ocean and sea creatures, which was a result vocalist Johnny Whitney taking an oceanography class during the albums production.[6] The album marks additions to the band's songwriting tools. For example, "Kiss of the Octopus" samples "The Perfect Drug" by Nine Inch Nails,[7] and the piano acts as the sole instrument played on "American Vultures".[8] It is also the conclusion to the storyline and wraps up the themes featured in the previous songs. Says singer Jordan Blilie:
Basically what we had in mind was that we wanted to focus on what happens when a person lives a life devoid of any real meaning. These are people that lead a very empty superficial existence where motives are completely selfish and empty, and what happens as a result of that choice.
Characters
- Mr. Electric Ocean - "the personification of the media and exploitation and superficiality... the person that influences the protagonist during the entire record"
- The Skin Army - "a representation of our culture as completely superficial and concerned with the exterior, skin, and what is on the outside"
Track listing
All tracks written by The Blood Brothers.
|
1. | "Birth Skin/Death Leather" | 1:43 |
2. | "Meet Me at the Water Front After the Social" | 2:46 |
3. | "March on Electric Children!" | 3:03 |
4. | "New York Slave" | 2:44 |
5. | "Kiss of the Octopus" | 2:39 |
6. | "Siamese Gun" | 3:21 |
7. | "Mr. Electric Ocean" | 2:16 |
8. | "Junkyard J. vs. the Skin Army Girlz/High Fives, LA Hives" | 2:57 |
9. | "American Vultures" | 3:27 |
Personnel
- The Blood Brothers
- Production and design
- Matt Bayles - producer, engineer, mixer
- The Blood Brothers - co-producer
- Troy T - assistant engineer
- Ed B - mastering
- Dan Dean - layout concept, design, photographs, art
- Morgan Henderson - layout concept, design, photographs, art
- Jeffrey Degolier - photographs, art
Release history
Region |
Date |
Label |
Format |
Catalog |
Additional Notes |
United States |
2002 |
Three One G |
CD |
Three One G 21 |
LP |
Pressed on black vinyl and clear with black splatters, the latter an edition of 500. A picture disc edition was also issued in quantities of 2500 copies. |
2009 |
Epitaph Records |
CD |
87056-2 |
References
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Studio albums | |
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EPs | |
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DVDs | |
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Singles |
- "Ambulance vs. Ambulance" (2003)
- "Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck" (2004)
- "Laser Life" (2006)
- "Set Fire to the Face on Fire" (2007)
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