Transmission Entertainment » Everything tagged with 'jawbreaker'

Reverse Reviews : Jawbreaker, 24 Hour Revenge Therapy (1994)

Jawbreaker, 24 Hour Revenge Therapy

Tupelo/Communion Records

This record changed it all.  Not only was is sort of a "breakthrough" album for Jawbreaker that took them from the San Fran pop punk scene to cross over fans, but it changed music.  It helped spawn (for better or worse) the genre now known as Emo and left all notions of what it was to play and write punk music in the dust.  This melodic and emotional music, mixed with classic pop punk riffs, perfected a new sound.  The tight, driving rhythm section of Adam Pfahler and Chris Bauermeister set the perfect backdrop for singer/guitarist Blake Schwarzenbach's gruff vocals and melodic anthems.  The lyrics were brave and poetic, more so than most bands in the scene at the time and more so than most since.  His love of beat poets began to show through just as much as his disdain for the politics of punk...all this at a time when underground music was getting more attention than before and bands were being accused of "selling out."  At a time when punk rock had been divided into a 100 little scenes and when larger bands were constantly under a microscope, Jawbreakers' insistence on not giving a fuck what the "cool kids" thought seemed so much more punk in it's viewpoint.  Songs like "Indictment" and "Boxcar" said it best: "You're not punk and I'm telling everyone…Save your breath, I never was one."

Play this record from beginning to end over and over.  Their records before 24 Hour Revenge Therapy were great, but more simple in their sound, and Dear You, (a great major label debut) was very produced and even more "Emo" than before (setting the tone for Blake's band after Jawbreaker, Jets To Brazil), but their 3rd record was completely golden in tone and timing.  It's still perfect and still timeless.

For Fans of:  Jimmy Eat World, Alkaline Trio, Blink 182, Samiam, Green Day, early Replacements, Dinosaur Jr., Get Up Kids, Screeching Weasel, NOFX, At The Drive In, Saves the Day, Weezer.

Jawbreaker

Jawbreaker - Boxcar

24 Hour Revenge Therapy
Tupelo/Communion Records

-Check out more Reverse Reviews here

Mon Jun 16 2008 · Posted in