(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): LAGWAGON

Sunday, 2 November 2014

LAGWAGON

Band: LAGWAGON

Genres: Punk / Rock / Skate-Punk / Emo / Metal
Related artists: Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, Buck Wild, Joey Cape and Bad Astronaut, among others...
Country: Goleta, California USA
Years Active: 1990-2000, 2002-present?
Song: "Eat Your Words"
Album: "Let's Talk About Leftovers"
Year: 2000
Label(s): Fat Wreck Chords / My Records
This post's artist is from the October 2014 Mix. This is track #10.
You can download the October Mix#10 right here or get the new November Mix#11 here.
For fans of: Bad Astronaut, NOFX, No Use For A Name, Ten Foot Pole, Osker, Foo Fighters, Satanic Surfers, Millencolin, Pulley, Guttermouth and The Ataris.

We are going back a ways, here. LAGWAGON were a band I got into back in...grade 9, so...13? They were on the 'Survival of the Fattest' compilation that was truly my proper introduction into "punk", which I picked up for the NOFX song "Vincent", but that's another review.

LAGWAGON were (are?) a skate punk band from Goleta, California. Their name is derived from the nickname that they gave their first tour van, I believe. They started out as more of a metal band than a punk band, which is chronicled on the 'Let's Talk About Leftovers' LAGWAGON compilation. They quickly shifted to skate-punk with metallic influences. This continued until 'Hoss', what is (or, at least, was for a long time) in my opinion the band's crowning achievement. This perfection and then abandonment of their Fat-Wreck, skate/pop-punk style was most likely due to Shawn Dewey leaving the band to start Buck Wild, which I have to leave for yet another review. Following 'Hoss' was 'Double Pladinum' which I would label as the band's flailing attempt at stability during a key member change, but this was followed by another fantastic album titled 'Let's Talk About Feelings' which dropped pretty much all metal and focused on an emo-tinged skate punk with nods instrumentally to Foo Fighters. It took me awhile to realize how mature and well-structured the songs were - like, after a decade or so, and also picked up on the emo side the band was grazing along, most likely led by Joey Cape. The vocals from here on out have some really good hooks - like, some really really good hooks. His lyrics, although silly at times, were generally pretty darn good. The LP is now probably my favourite proper release by the band, as almost every song is amazing. The aforementioned 'Let's Talk About Leftovers' comp included 7 tracks that were originally destined for an EP or something, which was eventually shelved and the songs leeched their way onto this comp, which I think is unfortunate as it would have been among the band's strongest work. I chose "Eat Your Words" from this "EP" because it shows a side of the band, much like Osker's transformation, that matured from punk into more than decent songwriters and musicians. After this the band took a hiatus for two years, came back in 2002 and just never hit the same note with me with the exception of 'Blaze'. Those were the years I got into screamo so I never looked back at skate or pop punk after that. I can still dig these guys whenever they come on in my giant folder of awesomeness, so here are the jams I still spread between the two slices of bread that are my ears:

I have to holler at "Razor Burn" because it's the track that made me fall in love with the band. During the music video the vocalist Joey Cape goes apeshit with a yo-yo and I thought it was the greatest. I also grew a beard of shame and called it as such.

BLAZE
"E Dagger", "I Must Be Hateful", "Falling Apart", "Max Says", "Lullaby" and "Baggage"

I THINK MY OLDER BROTHER USED TO LISTEN TO LAGWAGON
"Live It Down"

LET'S TALK ABOUT LEFTOVERS
"Narrow Straights", "Burn that Bridge When We get to It", "Jimmy Johnson", "Eat Your Words", "Want", "Bring on the Dancing Horses", "Raise a Family" and "Restrain".

LET'S TALK ABOUT FEELINGS
"After You My Friend", "Train", "Everything Turns Grey", "Love Story", "Messengers", "The Kids are All Wrong", "May 16" and "Owen Meaney"

DOUBLE PLADINUM
"Alien 8", "Making Friends", "Twenty Seven", "Choke" and "To All My Friends", as well as the secret track

HOSS
"Violins", "Sleep", "Sick", "Razor Burn" and "Ride the Snake"

TRASHED
"Lazy", "Know It All", "Give It Back", "Dis'chords", "Coffee and Cigarettes" and "Brown Eyed Girl"

DUH
"Beer Goggles", "Inspector Gadget" and "Mr. Coffee"

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DISCOGRAPHY
Click )==>here<==( to download Dave's favourite tracks in mp3 form.

Go to discogs.com link here to view it, as it would take me way too long.

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(2008) LAGWAGON - "Live It Down" (from 'I Think My Older Brother Used to Listen to Lagwagon')