The Scarred
Track by track breakdown
By Tyler Evans
One day, out of the blue, I got a call from Justin Scarred telling me that the band had just finished making a new record and I should expect something from him in the mail in a few days. A few days later, to the day, I stumbled out of my front door to the blinding light, made better by my trusty shades, only to discover a package containing a note that said simply “I dare you,’’ and a CD with the words ‘LIVE FAST DIE POOR’ crudely scribbled over it in sharpie. I went back up to my room, lit a cigarette and with an apprehensive excitement, took the plunge.
…Fade in.
RESTLESS:
“Went to the doctor and he called me insane, “Too many broken dreams and too much pain.” ”
The Scarred barrel straight into Live Fast Die Poor with ‘Restless’, telling critics and everyone else in one single song that any slump they may have been in is now over. ‘Restless’ drives in hard with loud, beautifully-distorted hymns of riffs followed up just as ferociously with a bouncy, catchy rock ‘n’ roll melody that grows in intensity as the listener is left jarred, panting and wanting more. The Scarred waste no time in proving they’re back: more evolved, better produced, and ready to reclaim what’s rightfully theirs.
GONE EVEN HIGHER:
“Will she thank you for this mistake that you’ve made? Sometimes that’s what it takes to know that you’re okay.”
‘Gone Even Higher’ is the second, knockout blow from the one-two punch that started with ‘Restless’. The track finishes what ‘Restless’ started, leaving the listener dazed, on the floor, brains scrambled, and ready to have any pre or misconceptions of The Scarred wiped away. From this point on, the listener is able to adjust and enjoy the ride, wherever it may lead. If ‘Restless’ didn’t exist, this song would have been a perfect way to start the record, but as it stands, ‘Gone Even Higher’ does a better job at reinforcing the message that has already been established.
LAST NIGHT:
“Have you ever fallen for someone you regret? Saying goodbye before you truly even met?”
By this point, Scarred fans aren’t completely sure what’s happening, but we know we’re enjoying the ride. This is a different Scarred than we’ve ever heard, but in the best and most awe inspiring way possible. ‘Last Night’ represents the kind of song we’ve always known The Scarred had in them but was never fully and completely showcased until this album. ‘Last Night’ is also important as it subtly introduces the nostalgia themed undercurrent that travels through the rest of the record. I might also add the excellent use of group vocals and not-so-obvious nod to the Brit-pop influences of the group displayed throughout the track.
SPIRIT OF ’97:
“I never forced your door or sweet talked in your ear, but I wanted you to take me low.”
‘Spirit of ‘97’ plays on the arrogance of youth within the newly discovered threshold of love, exploring the lessons in callousness that we all too often are forced to learn through experience. The Scarred have really found a way to harness the angry energy of the first three records and manifest it into something positive and altogether more rewarding. This track has the rare spark of a great 90’s tune that, if alone, would make you slap your steering wheel and say “Fuck yeah!” It’s the kind of song that makes you want to call a far away friend or old flame almost forgotten, or maybe drive all night to see them in person.
SHE’S A MESS:
“You debase yourself, become someone else. Are you so insecure [that] for a sense of worth you disgrace yourself?”
‘She’s A Mess’ takes a break from the new sound The Scarred has spent the last four songs establishing and initiates a brief reprise of the old. Even though the sound is familiar, it is not altogether recognizable. Even the more traditionally Scarred sounding new songs are noticeably more evolved and full band driven. Even small things, like the less obvious group vocals in the chorus, make for a far greater impact overall. ‘She’s A Mess’ has the same ability to set you at an uneasy, almost angry frame of mind as any song from Repression or No Solution, but for reasons you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s more of a feeling of personal guilt, of remorse, than frustration with the government or some nameless higher authority; all a testament to the growth of the band as musicians and Justin Scarred as a songwriter.
TIRED:
“I am smoking all alone tonight. Can you see my drag? It’s the only light…”
Listen closely kids, you’ll hear an organ. ‘Tired’ picks up where ‘She’s A Mess’ left off; where the narrator realizes his faults and is left hopelessly apologetic. This is a song everyone can relate to; sometimes after a major fuck up, there’s nothing left to do but light a cigarette, take another drag, and hope everything works out for the best.
ALONE:
“It’s like a private invitation; No matter who I’m with I’m by myself.”
What I love so much about ‘Alone’ is the break from the nostalgic, retrospective aspect of this record as it instead thrusts the listener into the narrator’s self-aware paranoia and psychosis. ‘Alone’ is a return to the snotty, punk sound we heard earlier from ‘She’s A Mess’, but both seem to serve the bigger purpose of enhancing the effectiveness of the track and, furthermore, the record. As I said mentioned earlier, even though it’s a throwback to the old sound, it is so with a more thoroughly defined edge and purpose. The riffs reinforce the song instead of serving a self indulgent purpose, as is the case with so many other bands today. To cap it all off, I must say it’s nice to hear some of those classic ‘‘Hey!’’s from Monkey towards the song’s closing.
HURT MYSELF:
“I spent my last three bucks on the bus to the city; I was hoping no one here would recognize me.”
This is one of the many tracks that makes me think, if people still bought records, Live Fast Die Poor should sell a million copies. Honestly, ‘Hurt Myself’ has the perfect, balanced, punk rock charm that would’ve made it a quadruple platinum selling single in the early-to-mid nineties. ‘Hurt Myself’ plays with the idea of a self aware psychosis we heard earlier, but in a more optimistic tone.
NO WAY OUT:
“Are we insane, or has the world gone mad?”
If The Scarred had to be accurately displayed as a band, and Live Fast Die Poor as an album, based on a two track 7’’, I would choose ‘Gone Even Higher’ as the A side and ‘No Way Out’ as the B side, to show their duality and complexity as a band. ‘No Way Out’ best represents what makes Live Fast Die Poor such a solid, albeit warm, rock n’ roll record, with a white hot punk driven intensity busting at the seams. The poet in me looks for deeper meaning in the constant cries of “I don’t belong here” throughout the songs, perhaps hinting that, although great, songs like ‘No Way Out’ aren’t what The Scarred are meant to do anymore. This might be solidified by the fact that ‘No Way Out’ is the last song like it on the album. Whatever the case, it leaves the listener eager to hear what’s next.
JADED AGAIN:
“I’d like to start over, but fuck if I’m able.”
‘Jaded Again’ showcases some of that dry, sarcastic, all-the-while honest wit The Scarred is known for. Sonically, if one were to say this record was The Scarred’s London Calling, I would have to say that ‘Jaded Again’ would be the ‘Jimmy Jazz’ of Live Fast Die Poor. This is not to say these two songs sound alike, although they do favor each other in some small way. Instead, I mean this in the easy, laid back, interesting quality of both songs. ‘Jaded Again’ also exudes the same subtle eeriness of ‘Jimmy Jazz’, something you can’t quite put your finger on, which makes the song seem almost new with every listen.
WORTHLESS:
“If ignorance is bliss, I must be in Hell. I’ve seen too much desperation, fear and hopelessness.”
Justin clears his throat at the very beginning of the song, (blink and you’ll miss it), but it sums up this song and Live Fast Die Poor in its entirety with one word: honesty. The Scarred are an honest band making an honest record about their very real plight and their very real selves. I also have to mention how much I love the brief guitar harmonies that add so much effect to the song rather than weigh it down as some random and unnecessary adornment for the pretentious hell of it. ‘Worthless’ is a nostalgia-soaked reality check about who The Scarred, or we the listener really are.
SIRENS SOUNDING:
“Am I in your memory, or just your review mirror?”
This is hands down my favorite track on the record. Everything I love most about Live Fast Die Poor record is compacted into a perfect 3:42 with ‘Sirens Sounding’. If ‘Anaheim’ was the stand out track on At Half Mast, it would be top notch filler at best compared to this track. I could write endlessly about how much I love this song and what it means to me, but instead I think I’ll let the song speak for itself and let the reader take away their own personal and intimate interpretation from it.
LIVE FAST DIE POOR:
“All I wanna do’s hang with the boys in the band; Even though I’ve got no money and I’ve got no plans.”
At first, I couldn’t believe that the record wouldn’t end with ‘Sirens Sounding’, as it seemed like such a perfect capper. I changed my mind about twenty seconds into this song. ‘Live Fast Die Poor’ is a great 50’s style, doo wop influenced, punk driven title track that eloquently ends the record. What better way to end the thirteen track journey through the human spirit, psyche, and memories than this song? After all, ‘Live Fast Die Poor’ is the most obvious sonic reference to the nostalgia theme and, if you listen close, it has the most uplifting and hopeful message of the entire record.
…Fade out.
The proverbial needle lifted from the nonexistent groove as I sat there, speechless. When you know a band is capable of delivering something and all of your wildest expectations are exceeded with thirteen tracks, it takes a minute to regain your composure. I listened to the album another two times to be sure; yes, it was real, it really happened. I called Justin late that night and we talked for almost three hours about the record, The Scarred, memories and things we thought the future might hold for us; all of the while knowing our conversation was shining with the unmistakable glow of nostalgia.
Popularity: unranked
