You Should Be Living

Description

You Should Be Living is the third album by the American indie rock band twothirtyeight, released on Tooth & Nail Records in 2002. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by James Wisner at his home studio Wisner Productions in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. All songs written by the band.

Two-Thirty Eight features Chris Staples on vocals and guitar, Kevin Woerner on guitar, Ben May on bass, and Dylan Roper on drums.

After establishing themselves as a top-notch indie rock act, Twothirtyeight is now ready to release their first original full-length with Tooth & Nail. Most of the songs on ‘You Should Be Living’ have made their way into the band’s set list at their shows for many recent months. So it is with much gratefulness that fans finally find these songs recorded and released.

Once again, on You Should Be Living Twothirtyeight displays a sound that is truly original. It could be considered to be somewhere between Pedro the Lion and Jimmy Eat World, but that’s the closest one can come to pinning them down. More than ever, on this release the band capitalizes on a bit of a funk sound in addition to their indie rock sensibilities. The result is overall a pleasing thing.

Without a doubt, the strength of You Should Be Living is in the lyrics. The album begins with «Modern Day Prayer», a heartfelt postmodern plea that truly captures the heart and the hurt of the age we live in: “God, if you can hear could you help me and my friends? We’ve been driving all night into dead ends. We just want to find our own way home again.” «Forty Hour Increments» is a rather sad, yet true look at the life of the working man or woman. It resolves, “Don’t be afraid to pack your things and leave the comfort money brings and find your own way out of here alone. Cause we’re all homeless anyway. We’re searching in so many ways. I do believe there is a place for us.” On «Romancing the Ghost» we hear the story of a concert where no one shows up. Perhaps the best song of the album comes with the funky «Sad September», which picks a bone with high school: “What am I doing here? There’s life outside, I’m stuck inside this classroom. They weren’t tolerant of individuals that make up their own minds. I’ve made mine too – I’m through.” The song goes on to point out in a rather tongue in cheek way, “All the loners become cops and grow more lonely in their squad cars. I find it funny that the all stars are all old fat. And the cheerleaders have babies with houses and husbands. They should have known.” The album closer «The Bathroom Is a Creepy Place» is a song for anyone who has ever had the sudden thought, “what am I doing here?”

Twothirtyeight write music that is relevant to anyone who has ever felt heartache and as a result this album should relate well to anyone who hears it. What Twothirtyeight has done here is tap into the heart of what the youth of this postmodern age feel and drain it into a collection of songs. Sometimes it’s sad, sometimes it’s cynical, but in the end it comes out honest and refreshing. [Trae Cadenhead, The Phantom Tollbooth, 8/18/2002]

> iTunes

CD tracklist:

01. Modern Day Prayer
02. The Sticks Are Woven In The Spokes
03. Forty Hour Increments
04. Romancing The Ghost
05. That Sad And Holy Glow
06. Step Into The Light
07. Sad Semester
08. I Pretend To Choke
09. Rhythm & Blues
10. The Bathroom Is A Creepy Place For Pictures Of Your Friends

Note: Released on both CD and 12-inch vinyl LP.

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