Flashing Lights and Sounds - Thrice

There are certain bands that bring on an odd level of nostalgia to mind when listened to. Attending grade school in a dead era in music, 2000 to 2006, these bands for me are: Mid to late Blink 182, Senses Fail, Brand New, Linkin Park, and particularly, Thrice. Of course, I was into some actual good music at the time, like Led Zepplin and further Classic Rock, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and the Chili Peppers, but I'd like to take this time to highight one of the first albums ever bought with my own money, the Aristist in the Ambulance by Thrice. Whenever I hear these guys, my mind drifts back to a simpler time; a time where I listened to my Sony CD player on blast while putting trucks on my new Alien Workshop Deck and when money was just something I had to worry about later.

Out of all the pop-punk, angsty teen music that I named, Thrice is by far the most talented and deepest. While on shuffle, my iPod graced me with a flash from the past of Thrice's insightful lyrics, catchy riffs and exciting drums.

Late night, brakes lock, hear the tires squeal
Red light, can't stop so I spin the wheel
My world goes black before I feel an angel lift me up
And I open bloodshot eyes into fluorescent white
They flip the siren, hit the lights, close the doors and I am gone

Now I lay here owing my life to a stranger
And I realize that empty words are not enough
I'm left here with the question of just
What have I to show except the promises I never kept?
I lie here shaking on this bed, under the weight of my regrets

[Chorus:]
I hope that I will never let you down
I know that this can be more than just flashing lights and sound

Look around and you'll see that at times it feels like no one really cares
It gets me down but I'm still gonna try to do what's right, I know that there's
A difference between sleight of hand, and giving everything you have
There's a line drawn in the sand, I'm working up the will to cross it and

[Chorus]

Rhetoric can't raise the dead
I'm sick of always talking when there's no change
Rhetoric can't raise the dead
I'm sick of empty words, let's lead and not follow

Late night, brakes lock, hear the tires squeal
Red light, can't stop so I spin the wheel
My world goes black before I feel an angel steal me from the
Greedy jaws of death and chance, and pull me in with steady hands
They've given me a second chance, the artist in the ambulance

[Chorus]

Can we pick you off the ground, more than flashing lights and sound

Formed in Irvine, California in 1998 by singer/guitarist Dustin Kensrue and Teppei Teranishi, Thrice was first popular for hard riffs featuring tricky time signatures, but later was noted for a stark change in style when the album Vheissu was released. This album featured a more synth friendly sound featuring some electronic beat loops and odd distortions. Then out popped, the Alchemy index, featuring the 4 elements, Fire, Water, Earth and Air. Releasing two disk sets with six song Eps was by far the bands coolest concept and possible peak of existence. My personal favorites were Earth and Air featuring two key songs: Dedalus and Digging My Own Grave. Both are passionate, slower songs, especially digging my own grave. I imagine a guy hunched over in an old bar sipping bad whisky and playing a wooden piano when I hear it. Finally in 2009, Thrice released Beggars, which was good, but not intensley stand out in my opnion. Thrice has had a great career thus far and I have been throughly impressed with their work thus far. One of my favorite bands of all time and a definite re-listen if you have the time.

Enjoy!

As a side note, Dustin Kensrue has a folk rock side project called Please Come Home, which is worth listening to as well.