100th review!

 100th Review!! 

Hello everyone! I made it! This is my 100th review on this blog! I can’t believe it, I never thought I would make it this far. I’m so happy I never gave up, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have gotten here. I decided to do another album review! It’s been awhile since I’ve done one, so let’s go! 

The album I’m reviewing is Fix Me by Marianas Trench. This band helped me through high school, so I thought I would their first album with all of you. 

Track 1-Say Anything

I love the intro on this song, it starts off with some lyrics: "I never took you for a trick but, sometimes I don't know what you want. And I can take it if you need to, take this out on someone." This leads up to the main theme of the song, as well as the album. Then the instrumental part kicks in, with a nice guitar riff. Which brings us into the first verse: "That little b**** with her head held so high, talking s*** and I cut myself, so I can feel something I know is not a lie." He has been lied to, and is trying to find a way to channel that pain. Unfortunately he chose self harm, but I understand why people do it. Because it's the only pain you can control. The pre-chorus: "That one stings a little, I'm always in the middle. I don't expect but try me, and you will always find me here. This is where I scream from." Letting out your feelings that way, is a good idea. I might have to try that. Then we have the chorus: You can take it all away and I'll miss, there's a little bit of you in all this. And you can say you only think you know, yeah. Please, there's a better bit of me to see yet. Cause you haven't seen any of my best, you know I hate myself without you now, yeah. Hurts the same when nobody knows, guess that's just how it goes. And I, I won't say anything at all." I have moments of non-verbal communication, so I don't say anything in a stressful situation. I can relate to this line, in that sense. Throughout high school, I didn't talk much. I was also in a mental state of pain. I think that's why I listened to this song a lot. The second verse: "I was talking on a dollar sign, anxious scared of what you need. Everybody wants a piece of you, everyone takes a piece of me." I feel like this part here is talking about the popular kids, how everyone wants the popular kids attention. Meanwhile the kids who are the outcasts, get ignored, or bullied. I know this isn't the case in every high school kid's life. But it just seems like there's always some sort of cliques in those environments. Then we have the bridge: "This is the hook, take it like you took. I'm shaking like I shook before, never ever getting better off. And I can only watch, this is where I stopped before. Not another piece of me. I always slip away from, I always slip away from." Not much to analyze here, so I'll this part up for interpretation. Then the rest of the song is the chorus. There is also light screams throughout the song. Which really works, on these tracks. Really great opening number.

Track 2-Decided To Break It

This song has a different vibe, then the first track did. What I mean is, the vocals are laid out differently. Josh (that's the lead singers name) manipulates his voice by going up and down in an eccentric way. Let's start with the first verse: "All the concrete words around here, I'm the bad seed. I think you swallowed it whole, you're the compromise that never falls through. Never left behind, on the break down." I'm not sure how to analyze this, so I'll leave it up to my readers. The chorus: A thousand promises, that never seemed to help me before. A hundred less and I would stumble till I found the back door. With nothing left to think I'll probably sit around and ignore, the apathy it always leads me." I think what they're saying here, is the help they he's gotten. Wasn't really that helpful. I've seen a lot of therapists, and it's never really helped me. If it works for you, then that's great. Therapists are very important, it's just not always the best thing for everyone. The second verse: "All the broken hearts that hang around here, all the sick things that make you pull out your hair. All the bad dreams, all the nightmares. All the avarice, that's always sticking it in." Sometimes I'll come across words in songs that I don't know what they mean, like avarice. So to save you the trouble of looking it up, in case you don't know it. Avarice means a desire for wealth and gain. Talking about all the awful things life throws at you. This song doesn't really have a bridge, it's just a section of them singing "down" a few times. It's a fun little song, the part at the end is when they say the song title. "And that's when I decided to break it." Maybe talking about breaking the cycle, I like that. The music video for this is also great, and really funny too. If you want to check it out. 

Track 3-September

There seems to be a pattern with bands where they have a song called September. It has nothing to do with the review, it's just a fun observation I made. Anyway back to the song. This is probably one of my favourites on this album. It's just really cool, and fun. The intro is a drum arrangement, which morphs into the guitar. Which sets it up, really nicely. Bringing us into the first verse: "Stop dragging around, I think that somebody knows. (turn it up, turn it up) I think that somebody knows. (turn it up, turn it up) So they can watch me explode, another piece of me is gone again. I don't want you to go but I already know, (turn it up, turn it up) Yeah, I already know. (turn it up, turn it up) It's probably better to go, and you can leave it if it's easier." The words in brackets, is backing vocals. This band is really good with their backing vocals. It really ties the song together. It seems like he's always losing more, and more of himself. As the album progresses. I suppose that's why it's called Fix Me. The pre-chorus: Lost and useless, no more bruises. I'll burn this place down, don't make no sound." Trying to escape, I feel like he's trying to escape the dark thoughts. Then you have the chorus: September won't you bring me some rain again? The sun is melting my skin, and I would give you anything to feel something else. September falls away till I'm broken, I just hate the sound. And I can feel the water changing me, it's changing me for good." I still don't know exactly what the second part this chorus means. The water part, I'm not sure what he's talking about there. I think I get the rest of it though. He's burning from all the pain and misery, which I think happened in September. Why is it that September is such a horrible month, so many awful things happened in September. Maybe that's why so many people write songs with this title. Moving on to the second verse: "I won't see you awhile, but I guess it depends. (turn it up, turn it up) Yeah I guess it depends. (turn it up, turn it up) and maybe if I pretend that if it's out of sight, it's out of mind. And nobody is wrong, and nobody is right. (turn it up, turn it up) Nobody is right. (turn it up, turn it up) Then how come tonight, another piece of me is gone again?" That's an interesting question, I'll leave that up to you to interpret. Again there isn't much of a bridge, just this line "Bite down hard, bite down." Not really sure what it means. Then we have the outro, with these lyrics: "I'm melting here alive, cause I can feel the water changing me. It's changing me for good. Bite down hard, bite down." then the song ends. I hope you can figure this one out, it's a really catchy song regardless. 

Track 4-Alibis

Now we're slowing things down, with this number. I've always loved this track, because you can feel the pain and emotion when Josh sings in this one. Let's begin with verse 1: "From the scrapes and bruises, to the familiar abuses. I'll kick and scream but it never changes anything. I could spill my guts out, wearing my best little girl pout. And I almost missed it, but nobody said that this was gonna be easy." I wonder if this song was about Josh's addiction, I wonder if he wrote this when he was in rehab. Because the theme seems like it would be from that perspective. The chorus: "This is not the man I hoped to be, and I'm just trying to stop the bleeding. I don't know how to word it, I just started to deserve it. And all my, all my faces are alibis. And me, I'm half the man I wanted to be." I think what he's saying here, is all the faces he wears are fake. To mask his pain, so all the faces he put on were just for show. Verse 2: "Most times it all comes out wrong, I don't know the words but I'll hum along. There's nothing familiar here anymore. To anyone, or anything left to feel alive. And I still taste that sickness, and it makes me crazy without it at best, but I'm in the same place I used to be. But I'm trying harder not to be." Bettering yourself is always a good step to healing, I myself am still healing from last year. Learning from your mistakes, and trying to be better is always a step in the right direction. No matter how long it takes, as long as you put in the effort. Next part: "So what am I? What am I? So what am I?" Asking yourself who you are is also a good idea, finding yourself again can be a lengthy process. Then loving yourself again, that's a whole other level. On the outro, we have "I don't know how the words go, I just started not to say no. Don't want it, don't get it. I know you won't regret it, don't surface, don't surface. And I feel so damned worthless, another day is gone. And all my faces are alibis." As the song ends, the soft vocals make you feel something. Like you also took an emotional journey. 

Track 5-Shake Tramp

Warning: There's some strong language in this song, so I will censor it. The intro with this song, is the guys saying "ooh woo ooh" Leading us into a "ba, ba, ba, da, ba, da, ba, da, ba, da" With the drums, the drum arrangement on this one is really good. Verse 1: "Did I let you down, to get that sound. And break my knees, to get release. And you needed some, just to take you from. And I hit you more, is your face still sore. Sorry, but I tried. It was never mine, and I can still pretend. I guess it all depends, I'm still a little crazy all the time. But I can try to hide it, that's still mine." The pre-chorus kind of blends in with the verses on this one. I'm also crazy lol, but that's ok because I own that hehe :) The chorus: "Try a little more, a little more, a little more. That slap you like a b*** and you take it like a w*****." Not much to say about this part. Moving on, verse 2: "What a cheap perfume, I hate this room. So testify, but I still tried. And you need that stamp, little handshake tramp. And you hit me more, and my face's still sore. Sorry, but I tried. It was never mine, and I can still pretend. I guess it all depends, I'm still a little crazy all the time. But I still try to hide it, that's still mine." The chorus, with a second part: "Try a little more, a little more, a little more. They slap you like a b*** and you take it like a w**** upside down and around and around, just another piece till you need another sound." This song is a little hard for me to analyze, so I'm just write the lyrics and talk about the music. The bridge: "Faze them out, I know what you scream about. Don't let me down. And the guilt in me is the hurt in you, and the hurt in you is the lost in me. And the lost in me, is the need in you. And the need in you, is the guilt in me." The bridge on this song, is one of my favourite bridges. I like the set up, and the tone. Then the chorus gets more rock themed, and I love that. The music video for this one is great as well. This album came out in 2006, and I love the vibe of the music and the music videos of the songs. Please check them out as well, I promise if you love the 2000s like me you will love them. 

Track 6-Low

This song is also, a little slower. But it's very angsty, which I love. Verse 1: "Tear those pictures off the wall, I don't think I will need them all again. I think the problem here is there's nothing wrong, I guess that I can coast along for now." The pre-chorus: "Bit more, there's something missing, I'm missing the point I did before. I'm sorry, that I'm always the one to let you down again." Beating himself up again, I really think he needed a hug during this era. What do you guys think? The chorus: "And I feel so ashamed, it should have been easy. ( I feel so low) And I want you to know, that I won't let go again. ( I feel so low)" Feeling ashamed is a powerful emotion, it can overtake your mind. You feel like you shouldn't be, but then something happens. And you just feel so ashamed, and wish you could change it. It can make you feel low. Second verse: "You were first to knock me down, in a way I guess we're even now. And I, I know I only used that first to justify. But maybe that's not just a lie, who knows." :( I feel his pain. The bridge: "I feel so tired, tired. You get so tired, tired. You get so tired, tired. You get so tired, tired. Tired, tired." It does make you feel tired, the mind is a powerful thing. It can leave you feeling tired, and just drained. 

Track 7-Push

This is my second favourite song on this album, it has more of that fast rock sound that I love. It also has a great hook. Verse 1: "You never really wanted it, you'll settle for a bit of it. We started with a big bang, count a number everyday. And now it's coming back again." Not much to say about this verse, so we'll move on to the pre-chorus: "Hey, don't you feel it now. On my shiny side down, hey burning brighter still. And you're getting sick, and you're feeling it." I like the my shiny side down line, because we're not all sparkly and shiny all the time. Sometimes we're dark and gloomy. And that's ok. The chorus: "It'll wear you down, and wear you down. You chase it breathing in and out, and in and out. They'll push you up against the wall, against the wall. You didn't think you'd feel it all, but you were wrong about it. Push." I feel everything, because I'm a very emotional person. I cry a lot. So when you think you don't feel something, you actually feel all of it. Second verse: "It started with a handgun, loaded with excuses. I started faking it, and then we started breaking it. All the pieces used to fit. Using like it's going out of style, maybe just a little while. And this will be the last time, every time's the last time." I think here they're talking about, addiction. How you say it will be the last time you use, and everyone around you is saying oh yeah every time's the last time. Knowing that they'll probably still be using. The pre-chorus has a second part "And you're getting stuck, and you f***** it up." I think this part speaks for itself. The bridge: "I regretted it, I regret a lot of things. I regretted it, I regret a lot of things." Yeah, pretty much. 

Track 8-Far From Here

This song, has kind of calming tone to it. Despite the melancholy lyrics. Nice guitar action in the intro, I really like the melody on this one. Which brings us into the first verse: "And I wondered why you came for all this, after so long. When it ripped into you like the son you never were. And I don't think this is, what you wanted now." That's a little bit of self reflection right there. The chorus: "It feels alright but that's a lie, that's always near. Sit around and blame the one that put you here, and I laughed aloud to drown it out. So I could breathe and feel the space around me. I'm not kidding anymore." Not really sure what to say about this, so let's keep moving. Second verse: "And I wondered why you never doubted getting there, (So far from here) When it pulls you down and throws you over, waiting there. Why do you always, end up right back here?" I think this might be talking about a person that always shows up, but he doesn't want them around for whatever reason. Maybe some bad history. Then there's this little bit of a screaming part: "You always end up here, you always end up here, you always end up!" Emphasizing his point about not wanting this person around him. Then the song fades out with the backing vocals, and the soft instruments in the outro.

Track 9-Vertigo

This one starts off with some soft vocals, and a little bit of lyrics: "heartbeat, heartbeat" Then the heavy beat and strumming of the instruments. To bring us the first verse: "This might sting a bit, oh whoa oh. You got here just in time to see everything fall apart. I'm not upset at all, but it's sad to see that everybody knows." Now it seems like everyone is aware of how much he's hurting, but he's not letting it bother him. The pre-chorus: "That I've been down and here before, and maybe I could want it more. I know I never tried to stop, I never tried." I'll leave this part alone. The chorus: "Shut your mouth, and hey so what's one more excuse. Guess I just like the abuse, dizzied up in my never try vertigo. They're calling out for blood, guess it's just understood. Said we'd always try, as long as I just don't do." Maybe these are rumors about him, that were spread and he's the main character in this story. People talking about the struggling kid, and thinking that he likes what he's going through. Wow that's messed up. Of course this is just an interpretation. Second verse: "Disappointed oh whoa oh, and no one thought that this would be me and my everything. Is this pound of flesh enough, oh whoa oh. And I'll cut away, until you say enough." Basically he's saying what more do I have to do, to prove to you that I'm going through something right now. I think, I could be wrong. The bridge of this song is kind of at the end, mixed in with the outro. Here it is: "So what's a little vertigo, tell me what you wanna know." That part repeats four times, until the end of the song. Which has a scream. I think the theme of this song, was that so many things going on in your mind can make you feel dizzy. Which is very clever. 

Track 10-Alive Again

The intro to this one, has this electronic poppy vibe going on. Then you throw in some drums, and you've got a interesting melody. I Fight Dragons uses electronic sounds in their music, so this is what it reminds me of. Verse 1: "I felt it turn to come and go, don't worry no one ever knows. I don't know why it just won't die, it breaks me in to stay alive. I know it hurt a lot like you, come on I know that you felt it too. It hurts the same and that's ok, I never liked him anyway." I'm gonna leave this alone, and move on to the pre-chorus: "I know, I know, I know, I. It seems so long since I've been gone, I got so used to just hanging on. I feel so wrong, I don't belong. I got so used to just hanging on." I always felt out of place, in fact I still do. There are days when I do feel like I'm just hanging on, but I get through it. Excersise helps me, when I'm stuck in my own head. But you do what works for you. Second verse: "I'm used to starving out instead, it's easier than faking it. Sometimes it hurts but that's no worse, than all those times. I guess it works, I know they walked away with a piece of me. The more I know that I won't go, the more I bruise from laying low." Going back to one of songs I reviewed previously, the taking a piece of him thing. I feel like he was bullied at one point, and every one seemed to have a problem with him. That's what I'm getting from this. Poor guy, I idolized Josh when I was a teenager. I thought he was so cool, and talented. He was my first real crush. (I have a thing for musicians hehe) I knew about the stuff he went through, and I always thought he was inspiring for going through drug addiction, and battling other awful things, and coming out on top. Music saved his life, and I related to him in that sense. Because is always there for me, when no one else understands me. On the second part of the pre-chorus in this section of the song, is : "It seems so long since I've been gone, I got so used to just hanging on. I feel so wrong I don't belong, and I know and I know and I know I" This leads us into the chorus, this song is set up differently. So the chorus comes after everything else. The chorus: "I walk around like I'm alive again, but I know it's just not the same. And I walk around like I'm alive again, shut up! Shut up! Shut up! And I walk around like I'm alive again, but I know it's just not the same. And I walk around like I'm alive again, I know it's not the same." Even after trying to get better, you might still not be the same as you were. Then you have to get to know yourself all over again. Then we have the bridge/outro: "I broke it all, I'm sorry. I broke it, I broke it all. I'm sorry, I broke it all. I'm sorry, I broke it, I broke it, I broke it all. (this part repeats one more time) And I'm fading!" Bringing the song to an end. 

Track 11-Skin and Bones

Here we are the last song on the album! It's a slow one, which is the perfect way to close out this masterpiece of an album. Very soft tones on this track, because it's a rather serious song. Verse 1: "I lock the door, turn all the water on. And bury that sound, cause I don't feel anything anymore. Mirror lie to me, tell me you can see maybe you won't be able to recognize me now. I know you can feel all the things you steal. And you're taking it, and you're taking it." This song I believe is about his eating disorder that he had. I love this song, but it's also sad at the same time. He really needed a hug, but he's such an amazing song writer. Taking all of his pain, and turning it into this, it's incredible. The chorus: "Feeling so easy, make me skin and bones. I'm always on my knees for you, break like it's even. When you're leaving and thin, where the hell have you been?" It almost sounds like, he's in a fight with his mind. Because eating disorders are more mental than anything, I mean they are physical too but a lot goes on in the mind when these happen. Second verse: "Well, sometimes it burns. Maybe I'll wash it out, it all looks so big. Never mind I don't feel anything. It only hurt a bit, and I still feel like s*** And I think you won't be able to recognize me now. It's easier to quit, it's harder to admit. And you're pushing me, you're f***** pushing me." This part I think he's talking about throwing up, because if I remember correctly Josh had bulimia when he was younger. But yeah this just saddens me, and makes me wish I could help people who are going through something like this. If you are ever struggling, please don't hesitate to ask for help. Even if you don't want people to find out, I know it can be a very hard thing to talk about. But I want you all to know, that you are beautiful the way you are. You don't change anything about yourself, as long as you're healthy that's all that matters. Please take care of yourselves. The bridge: "Cause you always win, and you always win. Yeah, laughing like it works. Bleeding like it don't hurt, knock you off your feet. Even if you need me, tear you apart. And I hate how I need you. Oh, oh, oh, oh." I wonder if the "you" he's talking about, is his mind. It would make sense if it was. The outro is just him singing "I will burn all this." Which I'm not really sure what he meant by that. But this is still a good song to listen to, even if you just need to get your emotions out of your head. 

Well, that is it. This will be my last review of the year, I'm gonna take some time off now. But I will see you all in the new year! With even more reviews hopefully! Take care everyone :) and I hope you check out this album!