We really like this illo!
So what if That’s How We Burn was out over a month ago and it’s taken Sub-Pop’s JAILL this long to create some begrudging “fine, let’s break our album down” answers. Well the Milwaukee band do indeed deliver – you’ll be snorting into your milkshake, soda or fat-free drink quicker than it takes to read their smart-assed retorts. The main man, Vincent Kirche talks to us about how their tunes ring like an animated balloon, the “epic-ness” of epic love and how weed smokin' in a ballerina’s tutu can make you write lyrics to land a record deal.
1) THE STROLLER
…words came from when I lived next to a crack house. I'd never get a good sleep because tweakers would be banging on their window all hours of the night. I still panic, but back then, it was bad.
2) EVERYONE'S HIP
…is totally a “return from tour” song. A tour where Timmy Vulgar plays you lovely, acoustic jams until you finally pass out at six am and a tour where every meal is pizza and Wendy's chili and dollar burgers.
3) ON THE BEAT
...is the most epic love song of all time. Love is best when it happens on the beat. The overly long guitar solo at the end helps the epic-ness.
4) THANK US LATER
…pretty much says that bullshit is gonna happen. But then when good things happen, don't get excited because eventually that good thing will get reduced to a pile of bullshit. And if you ate up that good feeling, you're just left with a shit-eating grin. Always play it cool.
5) SUMMER MESS
...is lyrically like a cartoon balloon popping and racing around the screen until it deflates and dies. Musically, it is the opposite. It comes to create the effect of trying to argue your girlfriend while annihilated stoned.
6) SHE'S MY BABY
…is coming back from that same fight and trying to make up by unknowingly saying unflattering things while searching for that one magic phrase or face that's gonna make everything ok. I now know the phrase...it's Steve Urkel's “Did I do that?”.
7) SNAKE SHAKES
…is about taking all the asshole people (snakes) in your life and chewing their faces off so they are no longer the Kings and Queens of pointless observations on your life. This is an aggressive way of saying “do what you want to do”.
8) DEMON
…has a lot of guitar riffs and the changes are slightly more abrupt. It makes sense because the song's about the unfortunate change people make as you get to know them. This is exactly why I put my worst, most stoned foot forward...so as not to disappoint later.
9) BABY I
…is a song about being a bad lover. The shiny sound is equivalent to an apologetic shrug.
10) HOW'S THE GRAVE
Harry Nilsson and Warren Zevon, a couple of obvious heroes of mine. It makes sense of the useless phrase which is the title of this song.
11) THAT'S HOW WE BURN
...sounds like it would be a weed smokin' reggae song but it's more about the sun and it's terrible trap of openess. I wrote this last one in a ballerina outfit.
Words: Gemma Dempster
Illustration: HOPE EPOH