Though we may not have been aware at the time, music that came out in our earliest days would have a major impact on us later in life. Think of these songs as our entrance themes into the world, music that was destined to reappear in our lives as we expanded our musical tastes via the internet.
Katie’s Pick: “Anthem Part Two” by Blink-182
My Year We Were Born pick is “Anthem Part Two” by Blink-182. This is the kick-off track to the band’s fourth album, Take Off Your Pants And Jacket, released in 2001.
The track is a teen angst-filled song from the perspective of young people whose voices are overlooked. From 2012-2014, my pop-punk fixation just started to bloom. Clad with Hot Topic rubber wristbands and band tees, songs like “Anthem, Part Two” blared through my iPod’s wired headphones.
This 2001 track came out in the aftermath of an election year and the beginning of a new administration. No matter what you stand for, any change is difficult and scary. The early 2000s were a time not too different from our 2022 environment, and it’s clear that the pop-punk revival has already begun. Blink-182 is releasing music together again, and more teens are embracing the pop-punk roots of their favorite bands. Be on the lookout for more pop-punk reunion tours and festival’s like When We Were Young. Pop-punk is back!
Mikayla’s Pick: “Lookin’ for Love” by Out of Eden
Though I was born only two months away from the new millennium, I still pride myself on being a 90’s baby. 1999 was a transitional year, especially in music. My pick this week is from an R&B Gospel trio, Out Of Eden. The song, “Lookin’ for Love,” opens their 1999 record, No Turning Back. The group is made up of sisters, Lisa, Andrea, and Joy Kimmey. Having been an R&B girl group in the 90’s, they had a very similar sound to that of Brandy or Destiny’s Child.
I like to think of 90’s R&B Gospel as the first musical genre that I was exposed to. Growing up, my mom always had it playing in the house on our bulky stereo. This song was among my top favorites to rotate. I remember flipping through our huge CD holder and playing all the R&B Gospel greats, including Nicole C. Mullen, Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary. Even today, I still find the genre very life-giving and soul-enriching.
Michael’s Pick: “Change (In the House of Flies)” by Deftones
As the turbulent twentieth century screeched to a halt, rock music was moving further and further off of the deep end. More so every year, artists brought unbridled passion to the sound that often seemed misplaced, as if the music was screaming at a brick wall. Into this intense wall of noise broke one solitary band with a chisel and pickaxe, carving a stunning sound out of the formidable, flat texture of nu-metal that had been provided by their predecessors. As they hit the 2k, Deftones were leaving the studio having just finished recording their masterpiece single “Change (In the House of Flies),” bringing a ray of hope to the alternative metal scene.
With lyrics inspired by the unforgettable body horror film The Fly, Deftones charges ahead into the new millennium with a guitar tone that literally breaks the studio. Listen in awe as the beginning of the first chorus punches the compressor square in the face, providing a moment of transparency in this incredibly intense track. Writhing in pain at the thought of someone they love becoming unrecognizable over time, the speaker screams to the point of permanent vocal damage, resulting in a sound as mentally scarring as the movie that inspired it.
