Hey-ho, a “Songs of Tess” entry! Not that they are particularly interesting, but there you go.

I decided to go with the idea of choosing five songs per artists of the artists that have the most songs in my library. I don’t have a library to do this, however – I briefly considered creating a script for it, but I’m much too lazy to do it at this point – so I decided to split it up in five weeks, and choose ten songs from each artist. Yay! for more crazy Tess music.

Blood Brothers

I’m not a fan of the screamo or “harcore” genre by any means. In fact, it’s one of my least favourite genres, and in 2005, I declared I couldn’t stand Blood Brothers », because it was right around the time their fourth album, Crimes, was released, and “Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck” was being overplayed. I caught “Crimes” off that album in 2006, and then declared they were the best thing to ever happen to music.

I decided to choose Blood Brothers from the many artists (with a good number of songs) in my library, because to me, they are the very epitome of screamo, and furthermore a “band” – they are eclectic with their lyrics, never shying away from any subject, and have quite the talent for playing almost every instrument known to man. Jordan and Johnny are the vocalists – the former holding a deep voice, and the latter holding a higher pitch, much like Brian, the lead singer of Placebo – with Cody, Mark and Morgan playing about 329575849 instruments (guitar, bass, drums and percussion being a select few).

You can listen to some of the songs « at the usual place – I’ll upload the rest of the songs tomorrow morning, promise!

“Doctor! Doctor!” from This Adultery is Ripe

When I see you walking all alone, I wanna cut the corners off your lips
I wanna shave the angles off your cheeks
I wanna wash the geometry off your face

It’s mostly about a sadistic Doctor, but hints the girl’s apparent obsession with looks and sex with the Doctor on the operating table. …yeah, I don’t even know either.

“Ambulance vs. Ambulance” from Burn Piano Island, Burn

You’ll never see your wife and children again
So tell us what it was going through your head
When you looked in, into their eyes and said “no thanks I’ll take the hooker instead”?

I look at Ambulance vs. Ambulance as a representation of our fucked up world, really, and I guarantee you, if you are into anything Blood Brothers do, this will be one of the many songs on constant repeat!

“The Salesman, Denver Max” from Burn Piano Island, Burn

My name is Denver Max and won’t you come sit on my lap
Because the only thing you own is everything you lack

The Salesman, Denver Max is about an older man victimising a (significantly) younger girl, but the lyrics also depict a generic abusive relationship, which is much more common than is given credit for. It’s kind of tragic and sick, but Johnny did a wonderful job with the vocals, and the melody is out of this world.

“Crimes” from Crimes

We’re just like those condom wrappers: used up, torn up, thrown away
And we’re just like yesterday’s headlines: drifting, floating, towards the blaze…

Crimes is one of my favourite songs of theirs, and not just because it was my introduction into their music, as it were! Not only is this one of my favourite songs that Jordan sang, but it’s one of their least hardcore songs. The lyrics are amazing – And if we rob the liquor store we could be in Tijuana by the crack of dawn …come on! – and the drums in this is just outstanding.

“Feed Me to the Forest” from Crimes

Was it just last night that I woke up to a snarling baby?
Did I hear it right?
He begged his mother, feed me to the forest!

Feed Me to the Forest always reminds me of a cross between Tom Waits and Lady Gaga – it’s got the electronica feel that Lady Gaga has, and the drumming beat and distorted sound that Tom Waits sometimes uses. Just a lovely sound!

“Live At The Apocalypse Cabaret” from Crimes

But scarecrow, I’m still alive
Who sewed me back together to watch the whole world writhe?

I know I say their melody is great all the time, but if I had to base a song off of strictly that, Live would take the cake. The piano is so stunning, it almost brings tears to my eyes; hands down, one of their best songs overall, not just off this particular album!

“My First Kiss at the Public Execution” from Crimes

Just five dollars to see a face explode, to see a man strung up by his throat
Come one! Come all!
If you look close enough you’ll see death’s machinery exposed

Public Execution notes the world’s – or America, anyhow – penchant for publicising executions (paparazzi and journalists anyone?), and getting off on it. The song is quite catchy, though, and makes you feel like you are at a public execution… in a carnival/fair type of way.

“1, 2, 3, 4 Guitars” from Young Machetes

Guitar two’s touch keeps ruining lovers for other lovers
Like jokers concealed in trick decks in our laps

Not quite about guitars – as is their way with most of their lyrics – the guitar and drums in this song is out of this world, and the song’s sound sounds very dusty, like a broken record (yes, that’s totally an in-song reference!).

“Johnny Ripper” from Young Machetes

The dull years drag the best days of your life through asphalt and glass
While summer’s favorite fathers birthing next year’s deadbeat dads

On rare occasions, the lead vocalists will only sing strictly by themselves in a song, with almost no (if any) back-up vocals. Johnny Ripper is ironically sung by Jordan, and depicts the movie Idiocracy – or, for anyone who hasn’t seen it, a bunch of dumbasses having sex, getting pregnant and not taking responsibility for it (of sorts).

“Street Wars/Exotic Foxholes” from Young Machetes

Brass boots, where has your gaunt gown gone?
Whose streets have you walked on?
Who did you meet? What did they say?
Is the world just a foxhole you watch from?

And I coincidentally leave you with a song about war (in essence), which isn’t the message I want to send, aha! Street Wars is fantastic to leave with, nonetheless, because the harmonising the vocalists do is very Beatles-esque, and the bass is just plain ole awesome!