Review Summary: Do you remember wasting time, when time was all we had?
It's been a long time since 88 Fingers Louie put out a album of new songs. Hell it had been 19 years! I found them in the very late 90s/2000s. Highschool was winding down. The band had already broken up multiple times before I knew who they were, but it didn't really matter. It was fun finding out about some bands from the past as I wasn't really in the scene until the mid/later 90s and even then only listening to the Offspring and GreenDay. Hey this isn't my story here nor was it the final story for 88 Fingers Louie! Time keeps going. It's known by now, Rise Against was born from half this band though Joe Principe is really the only member that was around long enough to matter there, that's another story. So come 2009 88 Fingers Louie rises from the grave to release a live album and another reunion show happened in 2013. Maybe this 88 thing is for real after all. Come 2017 and I'd like to Thank You for Being a Friend.
2017's lineup for this album is Denis Buckley on lead vocals, Dan "Mr. Precision" Wleklinski on guitar, John Carrol on drums and Nat Wright on bass. Fun facts: Glenn Porter (of early Alkaline Trio fame) was a member and played drums for the 2009 88 Lives show while Joe Principe came back for the 2013 reunion. The album starts off with
Meds a fast rousing song about addiction and failing health with some brief raucous background vox to really keep the energy going near the end despite the heavy subject matter. Afterwards
Advice Column hits with an faster drum beat but sets more of measured pace than the last. Even though a lot of time can be spent thinking about where had the time gone this song reminds everyone that things are always changing and to move forward once in awhile. This was essentially the single of the album as it was the one that was used for promotion of it. Afterwards things slide into a more melodic pop punk groove though with still thoughtful lyrics about human relationships.
All the Right Words is a hopeful song about a possible new love and moving on together with some good punchy guitar licks providing the backdrop near the end. Yet
Turned to Grey laments a relationship gone sour "
It's becoming clear to me, life isn't guaranteed now. It's not up to me. You made your bed now lie in silence. We both moved on far away." While
Here's to the Innocence reminisces about simpler times and trying to keep it going especially for those gone.
I wish I wasn't too busy to check on how you'd been. Those memories down at Club Abe I'll keep remembering. Let's raise a glass to days gone by
I just wish I could've said goodbye. Here's to that innocence the decades kept alive." A playful sounding guitar riff is the basis for the start of the song and comes back during the bridges.
Right when it feels like these more mid tempo songs may be getting a bit tired out
Catastrophe Awaits a faster shoutier song hits next. This one is about how all the soul searching isn't working and lashing out may be the only answer.
2810 comes in not long after as the shortest song on the album with some more vitriol and in the end declaring to not give up or give in. As the album starts coming to a close we start to remember our "Tired Vices" and how what's done is done.
November's Big Mistake is the sociopolitical song of the album. The chorus is extremely catchy with the way Denis's vocals soar. Now it's
My Final Story."
It feels different now that I'm involved. If this is my final story, let's get it right. Leave no regrets along the way." A tight rhythm section drives the backbone of it with Dan's guitar taking front stage at parts. 19 years down.
I wouldn't call this a punk classic that is going to be relevant forever, but it's just a overall solid catchy collection of songs put out by a band that got a chance to write if it was their final story, a very good one. Maybe the band will be back on the streets again someday. There are still more bunk pianos to sell as the band got their name from the piano selling gangster on the Flintstones. Charge it!
Recommended songs:
Meds
Advice Column
All the Right Words
Our Tired Vices
My Final Story
