Scrambles (album) explained

Scrambles
Type:Album
Artist:Bomb the Music Industry!
Cover:Scrambles album cover.png
Released:February 15, 2009
Recorded:October–December 2008
Genre:Punk rock, indie rock
Length:37:41
Label:Quote Unquote, Asian Man
Producer:Bomb the Music Industry!
Prev Title:Get Warmer
Prev Year:2007
Next Year:2010

Scrambles is the fifth studio album by Bomb the Music Industry!, released digitally and physically on February 15, 2009. The album was released a year and a half after Get Warmer, making it the longest gap between the release of two chronologically adjacent Bomb the Music Industry! albums. Frontman Jeff Rosenstock aimed to record the album on a limited budget of $50; up to that point, the band had never spent that much money on the recording of an album.

In 2019, to celebrate the album's 10th anniversary, a compilation of demos for the album was released by Rosenstock.

Recording and composition

In November 2007, the band announced they were in the demo and writing phase for their next album; alongside this, they posted a demo of "25" on their Myspace profile.[1] A demo for "Fresh Attitude Young Body" was posted online on March 30, 2008, followed by several others for a limited time.[2] [3] In September 2008, the band played a few East Coast shows with the Riot Before.[4] On October 6, 2008, the band entered the studio to start recording.[5] A day prior, the group released the album's track listing and mentioned that the album would be released in early 2009. Frontman Jeff Rosenstock said it would contain "a ton of weird stuff on it."[6] Recording concluded by December 2008 with the completion of gang vocals.[7]

Like most of the band's records, several songs feature samples as transitions between tracks. A clip from Green Day's performance at Woodstock '94 is played at the end of "9/11 Fever!!!" A clip from Ol' Dirty Bastard's song "Dirt Dog" is sampled at the end of "25!" A clip from the movie Milk is played at the end of "It Shits!!!"

Release

Towards the end of October 2008, the band went on an East Coast US tour with Shinobu, prior to a Canadian tour with Mustard Plug, leading up to an appearance at the Skanksgiving ‘08 festival.[8] [9] On January 7, 2009, the album's artwork and track listing were posted online.[10] "Can I Pay My Rent in Fun?" was posted on Asian Man Records' Myspace profile on January 19, 2009.[11] Following this, they embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom through to February 2009.[12] The album originally was due out in January 2009,[6] but it was delayed to issues with programs that were used to help record it.[13] Scrambles was released digitally on February 15, 2009, for free through Quote Unquote Records, as well as being released physically on Asian Man Records.[6] The physical version includes a 32-page zine by friends of the band including Latterman, Mustard Plug, Kaiju Big Battel, Bridge and Tunnel, and Cheeky. In March, the band appeared at the Harvest of Hope Fest.[14] They went on a short tour of Florida in May 2009 with Fake Problems; it was bookended by other shows on the East Coast throughout the month.[15] [16] In June and July 2009, they went on a cross-country US tour with Laura Stevenson and the Cans.[17] [18] During this trek, the band released a split 7-inch with Stevenson and her band.[19] On August 7, 2009, a music video was released for "Wednesday Night Drinkball", which was directed by Bryan Schlam.[20] Shortly after this, they performed at The Fest in October 2009.[21]

Demos

On February 15, 2019 (the ten year anniversary of the original release of Scrambles); Rosenstock announced the release of a collection of demos on Twitter.[22] Along with a link to the demos and the original album, there was a short piece of writing where he reflected on the creation and release of Scrambles. He concluded with "Thanks for reading, listening, and giving a shit. – Jeff". The demos appear to only feature Rosenstock. Several of the tracks contain musical and lyrical differences from their finished versions; "Cold Chillin' Cold Chillin'" is performed almost entirely on unadorned acoustic guitar and vocals, "It Shits!!!" contains different chords and lyrics, and "Wednesday Night Drinkball" lacks its climactic coda.

Reception

Reviews of the album have praised its perceived cohesiveness and clever lyrics.[23] One reviewer wrote that, "Rosenstock's songwriting, which has always been quirky and introspective, is at its best here, mixing the personal and the humorous, and finding the difficult balance."[24] Another reviewer declared that "Jeff Rosenstock is slowly becoming the only voice in punk that matters."[25]

Personnel

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bomb The Music Industry: '25'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. November 29, 2007. June 5, 2022.
  2. Web site: Bomb The Music Industry!: 'Fresh Attitude Young Body' (demo). Punknews.org. August, Justin. March 30, 2008. June 14, 2022.
  3. Web site: Bomb The Music Industry!: New album demos *updated*. Punknews.org. August, Justin. April 6, 2008. June 14, 2022.
  4. Web site: The Riot Before detail 'Fists Buried in Pockets'. Punknews.org. White, Adam. August 10, 2008. June 18, 2022.
  5. http://www.punknews.org/article/30727 "Bomb The Music Industry! to enter studio tomorrow, detail album."
  6. Web site: Bomb The Music Industry! set to record, detail next album. Alternative Press. October 5, 2008. July 26, 2017.
  7. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry! gives update on new record. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. December 16, 2008. June 20, 2022.
  8. Web site: Ska Is Dead Tour presents Skanksgiving ‘08 Fest. Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. July 20, 2008. July 22, 2017.
  9. Web site: Bomb The Music Industry with Shinobu, Mustard Plug. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. October 24, 2008. June 19, 2022.
  10. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry finish album, post tracklisting/artwork.. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. January 7, 2009. October 2, 2022.
  11. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry!: 'Can I Pay My Rent in Fun?'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. January 19, 2009. October 2, 2022.
  12. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry!: Episode 1. Punknews.org. Conoley, Ben. January 22, 2009. October 3, 2022.
  13. Web site: Bomb The Music Industry delays album. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. January 20, 2009. October 3, 2022.
  14. Web site: Against Me!, Bouncing Souls to play Harvest Of Hope festival. Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. December 18, 2008. July 30, 2017.
  15. Web site: Fake Problems / Bomb The Music Industry!. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. April 28, 2009. October 8, 2022.
  16. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry!. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. May 7, 2009. October 8, 2022.
  17. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry!. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. May 28, 2009. October 8, 2022.
  18. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry / Laura Stevenson and The Cans. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. July 3, 2009. October 10, 2022.
  19. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry! and Laura Stevenson and The Cans detail split 7'. Punknews.org. Yancey, Bryne. June 11, 2009. October 10, 2022.
  20. Web site: Bomb The Music Industry!: 'Wednesday Night Drinkball'. Punknews.org. White, Adam. August 7, 2009. October 10, 2022.
  21. Web site: The Fest 8 announces lineup. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. July 21, 2009. October 10, 2022.
  22. 1096564779496472576. jeffrosenstock. Damn, it's been brought to my attention that the Bomb the Music Industry! record SCRAMBLES is 10 years old today. H… . 16 February 2019.
  23. Web site: WRPI 91.5 Troy Indie Music Blog: Gold Sounds: Bomb the Music Industry! - Scrambles review . Ilikewrpi.blogspot.com . 2009-02-15 . 2012-03-08.
  24. Web site: Sutherland . Sam . Bomb the Music Industry! - Scrambles • Punk Reviews • . Exclaim.ca . 2012-03-08.
  25. Web site: Bomb the Music Industry! - Scrambles . Punknews.org . 2012-03-08.