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Rating: 100th review?!
I spent months looking for a significant and valuable piece to talk about, but just when I found the right one, I discovered I arrived too late. Such is life!
So today, we're talking about one of the most likeable and down-to-earth bands.
No one has done it before, so it's up to me to introduce you to "ALL." Not just an album and a parallel project by the same Descendents, but a concept that I'll explain as we go along.
The situation was quite peculiar in 1987 for the group: bassist Karl Alvarez and guitarist Stephen Egerton joined the scene, thus teaming up with veterans Milo Aukerman and Bill Stevenson.
It's been just a year since the "joke album" "Enjoy," caught between recordings of flatulence and authentic songs. It was a flop, let's be honest; it didn't genuinely excite me, and those who know me know I listen to a significant amount of quirky music.
Thus, they needed to bounce back immediately, and why not take inspiration directly from "Enjoy"? Because there was something good in that album, something worthy of their name, tracks like "Get The Time" and "Cheer", not to mention a very amusing cover of "Wendy" by the Beach Boys; but there was also a lot of experimentation in the metal domain, and that's probably where they decided to start over from.
The sound of "ALL," as a result, emerges contaminated and varied, as do the lyrics that talk about life on tour, no longer being "cool," failed relationships, and more.
All the members contributed to the realization of the tracks, demonstrating true teamwork among them.
The honor of opening the dances goes to the eponymous track "All", lasting only 1 second, a sort of "You Suffer" to reiterate this concept, then picked up in the 2 seconds of "No, All!" Want Descendents-style vocal melodies? There's "Clean Sheets". Want Punk with more aggressive riffs? There's "Coolidge" (note the similarity with some of Stevenson's work with Black Flag) and "Iceman". Want a bit of Heavy Metal? There's "Schizophrenia". Want something acoustic? There's "Impressions".
An album capable of pleasing both long-time fans and new waves.
But now we need to talk about "All-O-Gistics", the musical manifesto of this concept devised by Bill Stevenson and his friend Pat McCuistion back in 1980.
A very simple concept based on achieving everything possible, giving your best, and never giving up. Stevenson himself stated how "ALL" could be seen as either the vaguest or the most complete thing there is.
"All-O-Gistics" is one of the coolest tracks the group has ever written: humorously written lyrics yet with many truths told over a "à la Black Flag" musical base, hardcore and very sharp, where Aukerman delivers a sort of lesson, almost a sermon, while a spiritual chant is sung in the background and the others respond unanimously like in a religious service. A must-listen.
The last album from the Californian formation, in fact, as Milo Aukerman will leave the band for a career in biochemistry, only to return in 1995.
A fundamental album, therefore, in its own way.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Coolidge (02:47)
I'm not a cool guy anymore
As if I ever was before
I took a look at all the signs
Then rolled it over in my mind
The feelings I could not release
Became a bitter part of me
What was I thinking of?
It couldn't stay the way it was
I looked at my reflection
And I saw a stranger's face
I saw where I was going
And I had to walk away
I lost a girl, it's Just as well
She tried to save me from myself
I've still got her on my mind
Tossing and turning in my bed
But if she had stayed another week
I would have dragged her down with me
She took it till she'd had enough
Is that what I thought love was?
I told her "see you later"
But it's hard to see at all
At the bottom of the barrel
With your back against the wall
I'm not a cool guy anymore
Left it behind, then closed the door
I know you can't escape the past
Now I look back and have to laugh
I was my worst enemy
It almost got the best of me
What was I thinking of?
It couldn't stay the way it was
I looked up one day and saw that
It was up to me
You can only be a victim if you
Admit defeat
04 Van (03:01)
Here in my van
I can beat my small cock
Fart on your face
Sleep on a loaf
Here in my can
I can piss in a cup
Scrounge for some change
Do what I want
I can lose
Here in my van
I can eat my small squid
Dance the can-can
With my feet in the air
Here in my can
I can play the Last tape
Play my small uke
Write stupid songs
Like this one
Haven't slept in days, but that's OK.
Gonna let 'er eat
Cat pizza road apples coffee shun Vivarin
Have a little snack
Put in a quarter and play road rally
Driving sown the dark corridor
Fall asleep and wake up in another place
Here in my can
I can hate everyone
Wait for no girls to call me in the middle of the night
Here in my van
I can lose my small mind
05 Cameage (03:05)
I'm looking straight down
I'm sick and I need a friend
I didn't know they came like that
I'm thinking things now
I thought I'd never think
I didn't know they came like that
You came so quickly right in and out of my life
I didn't know they came like that
Did I ever tell you how much I love to hold you
I didn't know they came like that
It doesn't even matter if I live or die
The only thing that matters is you're by my side
There's no turning back from this one
I judged too quickly, I've never been good at trust
I didn't know they came like that
But did I ever tell you how much I love to love you
I didn't know they came like that
It doesn't even matter if I live or die
The only thing that matters is you're by my side
There's no turning back from this one
No turning back from this one
It's not that I don't want your love
But I don't deserve anyone
I didn't know they came like that
I will return to you
When I am 32
I didn't know they came like that
07 Iceman (03:14)
He's not alive, he can't dream
Stone cold monster, thinking machine
Never feels anger or pain
What's left of his heart is inside his brain
Get down on your knees
Say pretty please
Or do you want to freeze?
The iceman cometh
My pretty pretty thing
Do you you want to freeze?
Born without a hug or an ounce of love
Doesn't know how much he can hurt someone
Do you feel the chill in his calculated prose
His words will kill if you leave yourself exposed
He is part of our generation
Let us mourn
It's too late to save this child
It started when he was born
The iceman cometh
Keep your distance, don't get too close
A beautiful girl once made that mistake
She froze
09 Clean Sheets (03:14)
Clean sheets mean alot
to a guy that sleeps on the floor
oh I wanted your love
and a shelf on your dresser drawer
you tucked me in
to stop my tossing and turning
but I turned back the covers
and I saw those sheets were dirty
even thought you'll never come clean
you know its true
those sheets are dirty and so are you
the warmth of a bed
to a guy who sleeps on the floor
was enough to perpetuate
all the lies I heard before
and now I wanna hold you
gotta hold my pillow instead
and my pillow will never lie
or be with a stranger in my bed
even though you'll never come clean
you know its true
those sheets are dirty
and so are you
wheres the love I was looking for
its out the door
I'm afraid to see you any more
so its back on the floor
cause those sheets are dirty
woke up this mornin
alone on the floor
thinking about those clean sheets
and the way it was before
and when I look in the mirror
I saw your face
and thought of the past
but now I know how dirty you are
took my fist and smashed the glass
even thought you'll never come clean
you know its true
those sheets are dirty
and so are you
even thought you'll never come clean
you know its true
those sheets are dirty
and so are you
those sheets are dirty
those sheets are dirty
those sheets are dirty
11 ALL-o-Gistics (03:03)
Thou shalt not commit laundry
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's food
Thou shalt not create ties with the scathed
Thou shalt always go for greatness
Thou shalt not commit adulthood
Thou shalt not partake of Decaf
Thou shalt not suppress flatulence
Thou shalt commit thyself to an institution
Thou shalt not have no idea
Thou shalt not commit hygiene
Thou shalt not take the van's name in vain
Thou shalt not allow anything to deter you in your quest for all
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