This is a continuation of a review of Motion City Soundtrack’s newest album, “Even If It Kills Me.” I sure hope you read part 1 first like good little boys and girls.
Calling All Cops
An awesome thing about MCS albums is that they usually have at least two songs that, if you listen to them in the right order, blend seamlessly with one another. Last Night and Calling All Cops are two such songs. The end of Last Night moves right into the beginning of Calling All Cops.
If we were to assume that there was a deep and emotional reason for this, then…it would be a bit hard to prove. Last Night was about a break-up, but this song seems to have wider implications than just the feelings between two people. However, it does refer to how messed up the world can be…perhaps a better analyzer than I could make a case for it.
Here’s a sample to help you out:
“Sever all ties to satellites/ That broadcast worthless words/ You’re extrapolating nonsense/ And it really hurts, it really hurts.”
“Calling all cops and autobots,/ I hope that you’re still there,/ Saving victims from the wreckage,/ Of our wild affairs, such wild affairs./ Suffer all teens and dramamine,/ The coast is not yet clear,/ Every continent has chaos,/ And we need you here, we need you here”
Can’t Finish What You Started
I like this song because it exemplifies what I feel like sometimes when I chicken out on doing something or just don’t finish what I started. It has a nice beat and the guys singing “woo hoo” behind Justin makes me smile whenever I’m singing along. Incidentally, no MCS review would be complete without a mention of how insane/awesome Justin’s hair is. Truly, google Justin Pierre and check out his freaking hair.
I also like it because it has some great lines:
“I think I’ve known it for a long time/ Suffice to say, it’s been a while/ You’re too afraid to face the outcome/ Quite likely, you’re a failure/ It’s a shitty thing to say, but hey man – the clock is ticking”
“I’m completely bored/ With every single word/ And nothing ever works/ And this juvenile search/ It seems to matter, coolly revealing to me/ That I need a new approach”
The Conversation
This is definitely a sad, melancholy song with no upbeat tempo or funny lyrics to lighten it. Not emo, in my opinion, just melancholy and a true expression of that particular emotion. I might even use the term “ennui” to describe the emotion in this song.
There’s a sense of loss, too, that shines through. It’s pretty clearly about a broken relationship (one of my only criticisms of MCS is that most of their songs seem to be centered around relationships, broken or otherwise, but then again, many other bands are like that and aren’t half as cool).
The lyrics are good, but sad:
“Do you remember how we met?/ Silhouetted by the lights…/ You were drunk and tried to take a mental picture with your hands/ I was thinking about that/ And a bunch of other things/ Stop looking at the floor…/ I need to pour out this expansive dose of words”
“I had a pocket full of dreams/ But I gave them all to you/ Now I think I want them back/ So can you tell me if I’m crazy or confused?”
Broken Heart
This is my favorite song on this album and the one that made it into a single. It was also the first music video released. One of the reasons I love it is, in part, the music video, so it definitely deserves a little explanation.
The song is about someone with a broken heart, obviously, and how they move on and try to get over it. Despite the subject matter, it’s a very upbeat, bouncy song. In the video, though, the main character is the heart itself. He reads books entitled “How to be Happy” (one step is to “Smile”) and tries yoga (a guy in a giant heart suit trying to do yoga is hysterical). The ending is a happy one, though.
Trivia: on the TV set as the heart is flipping through channels, you get a glimpse of one of the video blogs the band put out while they were making the album. The one you see is the one entitled “Beardicus” where the band is stalking Justin, trying to shave off his beard. Trust me, it’s HYSTERICAL. Search for it on YouTube!
Wonderful lyrics:
“I’ll devise the best disguise/ A brand new look and take them by surprise/ They’ll never guess what’s not inside/ I’ll express myself with ease,/ With confidence and character complete/ With fingers crossed they’ll talk to me”
“But I get carried away/ with every phrase and made up malady/ The longer I hide behind these lies,/ The more I disintegrate/ So much to say/ But no words to convey/ The loneliness building with each passing day/ But I never get used to it, you just have to live with it”
This review has been broken into three parts for your reading pleasure. I’m sure you can imagine how long it would have been had I put them all together. I’m sort of thinking it’s so long because I’m putting reviews of the (totally awesome) music videos as well…
