Fanmail's debut album, last June's The Latest Craze, was a near-perfect summer album, with all the elements that the genre requires: catchy melodies, crunchy, fast guitars, and even a Farfisa organ in some places. Though rather reminiscent of MxPx in some places, it was still better than 95% of the Plankeye material in which Scott Silletta was involved.
Just over a year after the release of The Latest Craze, Silletta has assembled an entirely different band and released a second album, creatively titled Fanmail 2000. On the exterior, the album continues the comic book art theme that the band's debut initiated, only it's more science fiction-oriented this time around. The music is also rather similar to The Latest Craze, catchy new school pop-punk with Silletta's excellent, distinctive vocals. (Side note: I have to commend Silletta for not doing the whole fake British accent thing) A glance at the lyrics, however, will show that something has happened between the writing of the first album and the writing of Fanmail 2000: most of the lyrics on the new album are darker and more serious than their precursors. Compare, for example, "Rock and Roll Star" from The Latest Craze with "Hero" from Fanmail 2000:
I wanna be in a rock and roll band
I wanna have lots of rock and roll fans
I wanna be the guy up on stage
Jumping around, I'm the latest craze
It's not that hard
(From "Rock and Roll Star")
I wanna be the hero that you set your eyes upon
Build me up to tear me down
I wanna be the hero that you set your eyes upon
Choose the next poor fool to wear the crown...
Nine long years, I've never seen
Anyone who's perfect, needing God to intervene
(From "Hero")
What's most interesting, though, is that even while taking on darker subject matter, Silletta's music doesn't lose any of its fun factor: indeed, some of the songs ("Shut Your Mouth," "Time Will Only Tell") are far catchier than The Latest Craze. And while the lyrics aren't exactly poetry, they certainly fit well with the music.
There are a couple of songs that deserve further attention. The first is a fast punk cover of "I Want It That Way" by Backstreet Boys (now the punkers can finally admit that they like the song). The other is the album's closer, "The Other Side," a slow number in the vein of "Happy Birthday," dedicated to Silletta's late friend and mentor, Gene Eugene:
Now I'm 27 and you were 38
Thank you for all your time
It meant so much to me
I know I bugged you sometimes
Thanks for loving me
You seemed to be the only one who understood me
It's so often I think of you
You taught me so much
Who will I go to?
Doctor blue, always true
Even if the team lost all year
We dressed like clowns, walked all around
You know the people thought we were crazy
It's a heartbreaker, and the perfect way to end the album.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by mjA year after releasing The Latest Craze, Fanmail punches fast and hard with their second release, Fanmail 2000. From the first track, 'Time Will Only Tell,' with its upbeat tempo, catchy distorted guitar and clean vocals, the listener knows 2000 will be a joyride. The lively atmosphere is reinforced by clever use of spoken dialog samples, a cover of the Backstreet Boys, and a comic book front…Art for the Ears 2000Reviewed by Marco PovervestAre there any Backstreet Boys fans on this site right now? Do you remember their huge chartbuster I Want It That Way? Of course you do! Well, Fanmail covered that song on their latest album. But, if you think that BSB are too sissy, you have a reason too to check this version out as it's rockin' one! Fanmail's music is a fine mix of energy and pop, of punkrock and powerpop, accompanied by…Similar sounding releases
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