Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
In Defense of the Genre
The above album was the first I bought from the band. This was the opus Max Bemis wanted to create for his band and for his genre, a word I still hate for a genre title, Emo. This was a two disc set with guest vocals from the biggest names in that circle at the time:
Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance)
Adam Lazzara (Taking Back Sunday)
Anthony Ranari (Bayside)
Anthony Green (Saosin)
Hayley Williams (Paramore)
Aaron Gillespie (Underoath, The Almost)
Jordan Pundik and Chad Gilbert(New Found Glory)
Chris Conley (Saves The Day)
When Max said he wanted this to be the Joshua Tree of his genre he wasn't kidding as the ensemble he got were amongst the who's who of the genre. The album itself got a perfect rating and listed as the album that Blender (my favorite ever music mag R.I.P.
) was obsessed over. It really peaked my curiousity as I love ambitious projects but I was also hesisant because while I love bands that get lumped into Emo I don't usually care for ones that wave it as their banner. I still took the chance and bought it. I'm glad I did! 
The album ironically crosses so many genres and is as bipolar as Max himself. Every song is full of characteristic insanity and is genre ADD as you might hear one track that has a metal edge, the next sunshiny pop, the next a tribute to the 80's, the next fast and punky, the next a little ska-ish, one that's a little like Morrison and one even sounds like a showtune.
It'll be impossible to post all my favorites without posting the whole album but here goes:
Baby Girl, I'm A Blur
(The single)
Surgically Removing The Tracking Device
Tearing out my hair
on a bedroom floor
empty all the meds
never anymore
for sure
throbbing in my flesh
breaking out in scarlet sores
in therapy I've been enslaved
I think I'll medicate this rage
So now I cross the line
(tearing out my on a bedroom floor)
Fixing up the drugs
with a tiny flame
put 'em in my lungs
and forget my name
I blame my parents for molesting me
with self-fulfilling prophecies
the teacher for indulging me
shit dressed up in fury, fear and shame
So now I've crossed the line
(put 'em in my lungs, forget my name)
High, and I'll try
I'll get high
and I'll drive
If I were the keys
then where would I be
if it's up to me
then I'll be free
if I were the keys
then where would I be
if it's up to me
then I will be free
Died A Jew
You say you're a shade in my face from my father's share crops
My people were slaves before yours invented hip-hop
Apologize but I'm in on the joke
Another brother to scoff at the dancing patterns of white folk
I think I'm fine the way I am
(and yes I chase my milk with ham)
I think I'm fine the way I am
Jesus died a jew
pupils painted blue
yeah haters know its true
Jesus died a jew
you saw you're the breath on my nose of my daddy's ear locks
shunned before you pieced it and sold it and called it punk rock
apologize for the murder of god
like Judas the traitor we are both favored and deeply flawed
I think I'm fine the way I am
(although we broke our promised land)
I think I'm fine the way I am
Jesus died a jew
pupils painted blue
yeah haters know its true
Jesus died a jew
so I'll let it burn away
let it burn away
let it burn away
let it burn away
The Truth Is You Should Lie With Me
Skinny Mean Man
[Spoken Intro:]
I know you love how I make it all go away:
all the joy, all the pain, all thoughts in your brain.
For the price of your soul, I will hold your heart in my talons.
For three summers straight you've been my sweet eye candy;
and no one will ever, ever, take you away from me.
I saw, I smelled what he did to you, girl,
and to be frank, the thought makes my innards curl.
How he preyed on your ripe insecurities.
The thorn in your side is alive, and it's killing me.
Obscure records entombed in his room with mechanical lust,
diapered, desolate middle-aged doom.
On your knees in his downtrodden shit-eating grin of a room.
If only you'd meet me here soon.
If only you'd start breathing, I'd court you exclusively.
With my shovel, I'm pounding earth 'til suddenly I see...
You awake from the dirt and the grime,
stretch your fractured, pretzel spine,
out to take your revenge for the crime,
filled with fire and finally mine.
Paraded you around like a second place prize,
hair done up, black holes painted on your eyes.
Held a book burning in your back yard,
while your parents observed from their window, slightly scarred.
And I've watched with my shovel in hand.
I have in faith in you, child.
From his nightmares I've plucked a plan,
where that *****, to the world, is revealed as a wicked man.
This is a prayer from your biggest fan.
If only you could see me, we'd dance like a heart attack.
With a wail you let them know you're furious, you're back.
You awake from the dirt and the grime,
stretch your fractured, pretzel spine,
out to take your revenge for the crime,
filled with fire and finally mine.
You awake from the grave that he dug,
pulsing, boiling, angry blood.
Well aware that I'm falling in love.
Filled with fire, I'm drinking gasoline to make it go faster,
Gasoline will make it grow much faster.
Gasoline to make it go faster.
Gasoline will make it grow much faster.
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster
Spores
No Soul
There's something in the way you people smell
Like you've got no soul at all
Fingers crawling with ringworm
Your sneer's a mating call
To lure in others of your breed
Spread that smug and slimy seed
Borrow quotes from the cultures you've crowded like weeds
Is your schedule sufficient tonight, you toad?
Hop another bar until the rooster crows
This song belongs to you and all your crew
This curse will sting the worse as it shall mark you
All Rise
I'd rather spend an hour giving birth
Then see how your eyes are glued
On everyone but the person you're talking to
And trapped between babushkas on a plane in a fraction of how lame
It is to watch you pump the poison through your veins
Is your schedule sufficient tonight, you crow?
"skwak" another song until your heart explodes
This song belongs to you and all your crew
This curse will sting the worse as it shall mark you
You'd probably think this means I give up on you
The saddest part is this is why I come
To watch and pray that I'm mistaken
And pray I'm not the only one
Not going to care about this, I know that this is hopeless
No one notices it
Not losing sleep over this
You people are unredeemable, indescribable, all but evil
You know very well what you are
Don't let 'em write you off
You wear your scars
I've had a few but not that many
But you're the only one who gives me good and plenty
This album also has the usual lyrical genius of Max Bemis who covers everything from his Bipolar up and downs, his brutal honesty regarding the ****ups of his relationships, his Jewish faith, etc. This was a grand album that got me into this band for life!
The above album was the first I bought from the band. This was the opus Max Bemis wanted to create for his band and for his genre, a word I still hate for a genre title, Emo. This was a two disc set with guest vocals from the biggest names in that circle at the time:
Gerard Way (My Chemical Romance)
Adam Lazzara (Taking Back Sunday)
Anthony Ranari (Bayside)
Anthony Green (Saosin)
Hayley Williams (Paramore)
Aaron Gillespie (Underoath, The Almost)
Jordan Pundik and Chad Gilbert(New Found Glory)
Chris Conley (Saves The Day)
When Max said he wanted this to be the Joshua Tree of his genre he wasn't kidding as the ensemble he got were amongst the who's who of the genre. The album itself got a perfect rating and listed as the album that Blender (my favorite ever music mag R.I.P.
) was obsessed over. It really peaked my curiousity as I love ambitious projects but I was also hesisant because while I love bands that get lumped into Emo I don't usually care for ones that wave it as their banner. I still took the chance and bought it. I'm glad I did! The album ironically crosses so many genres and is as bipolar as Max himself. Every song is full of characteristic insanity and is genre ADD as you might hear one track that has a metal edge, the next sunshiny pop, the next a tribute to the 80's, the next fast and punky, the next a little ska-ish, one that's a little like Morrison and one even sounds like a showtune.
It'll be impossible to post all my favorites without posting the whole album but here goes:
Baby Girl, I'm A Blur
(The single)
Surgically Removing The Tracking Device
Tearing out my hair
on a bedroom floor
empty all the meds
never anymore
for sure
throbbing in my flesh
breaking out in scarlet sores
in therapy I've been enslaved
I think I'll medicate this rage
So now I cross the line
(tearing out my on a bedroom floor)
Fixing up the drugs
with a tiny flame
put 'em in my lungs
and forget my name
I blame my parents for molesting me
with self-fulfilling prophecies
the teacher for indulging me
shit dressed up in fury, fear and shame
So now I've crossed the line
(put 'em in my lungs, forget my name)
High, and I'll try
I'll get high
and I'll drive
If I were the keys
then where would I be
if it's up to me
then I'll be free
if I were the keys
then where would I be
if it's up to me
then I will be free
Died A Jew
You say you're a shade in my face from my father's share crops
My people were slaves before yours invented hip-hop
Apologize but I'm in on the joke
Another brother to scoff at the dancing patterns of white folk
I think I'm fine the way I am
(and yes I chase my milk with ham)
I think I'm fine the way I am
Jesus died a jew
pupils painted blue
yeah haters know its true
Jesus died a jew
you saw you're the breath on my nose of my daddy's ear locks
shunned before you pieced it and sold it and called it punk rock
apologize for the murder of god
like Judas the traitor we are both favored and deeply flawed
I think I'm fine the way I am
(although we broke our promised land)
I think I'm fine the way I am
Jesus died a jew
pupils painted blue
yeah haters know its true
Jesus died a jew
so I'll let it burn away
let it burn away
let it burn away
let it burn away
The Truth Is You Should Lie With Me
Skinny Mean Man
[Spoken Intro:]
I know you love how I make it all go away:
all the joy, all the pain, all thoughts in your brain.
For the price of your soul, I will hold your heart in my talons.
For three summers straight you've been my sweet eye candy;
and no one will ever, ever, take you away from me.
I saw, I smelled what he did to you, girl,
and to be frank, the thought makes my innards curl.
How he preyed on your ripe insecurities.
The thorn in your side is alive, and it's killing me.
Obscure records entombed in his room with mechanical lust,
diapered, desolate middle-aged doom.
On your knees in his downtrodden shit-eating grin of a room.
If only you'd meet me here soon.
If only you'd start breathing, I'd court you exclusively.
With my shovel, I'm pounding earth 'til suddenly I see...
You awake from the dirt and the grime,
stretch your fractured, pretzel spine,
out to take your revenge for the crime,
filled with fire and finally mine.
Paraded you around like a second place prize,
hair done up, black holes painted on your eyes.
Held a book burning in your back yard,
while your parents observed from their window, slightly scarred.
And I've watched with my shovel in hand.
I have in faith in you, child.
From his nightmares I've plucked a plan,
where that *****, to the world, is revealed as a wicked man.
This is a prayer from your biggest fan.
If only you could see me, we'd dance like a heart attack.
With a wail you let them know you're furious, you're back.
You awake from the dirt and the grime,
stretch your fractured, pretzel spine,
out to take your revenge for the crime,
filled with fire and finally mine.
You awake from the grave that he dug,
pulsing, boiling, angry blood.
Well aware that I'm falling in love.
Filled with fire, I'm drinking gasoline to make it go faster,
Gasoline will make it grow much faster.
Gasoline to make it go faster.
Gasoline will make it grow much faster.
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster (faster)
Faster
Spores
No Soul
There's something in the way you people smell
Like you've got no soul at all
Fingers crawling with ringworm
Your sneer's a mating call
To lure in others of your breed
Spread that smug and slimy seed
Borrow quotes from the cultures you've crowded like weeds
Is your schedule sufficient tonight, you toad?
Hop another bar until the rooster crows
This song belongs to you and all your crew
This curse will sting the worse as it shall mark you
All Rise
I'd rather spend an hour giving birth
Then see how your eyes are glued
On everyone but the person you're talking to
And trapped between babushkas on a plane in a fraction of how lame
It is to watch you pump the poison through your veins
Is your schedule sufficient tonight, you crow?
"skwak" another song until your heart explodes
This song belongs to you and all your crew
This curse will sting the worse as it shall mark you
You'd probably think this means I give up on you
The saddest part is this is why I come
To watch and pray that I'm mistaken
And pray I'm not the only one
Not going to care about this, I know that this is hopeless
No one notices it
Not losing sleep over this
You people are unredeemable, indescribable, all but evil
You know very well what you are
Don't let 'em write you off
You wear your scars
I've had a few but not that many
But you're the only one who gives me good and plenty
This album also has the usual lyrical genius of Max Bemis who covers everything from his Bipolar up and downs, his brutal honesty regarding the ****ups of his relationships, his Jewish faith, etc. This was a grand album that got me into this band for life!
