Box Car Racer – Self-Titled

As I listen to Boxcar Racer’s debut album (self-titled), I hear more then just plain music. Thomas DeLonge hit multiple key figures in life which usually go unnoticed. From talking about being confused to not wanting to die, Boxcar Racer covers many important subjects which need to be address.

Boxcar Racer hit it big early. They didn’t have to start off with a small fan base, they got a big one right off the bat. All because of who was in the band: Thomas DeLonge and Travis Barker from Blink 182. Right away, they appear on a popular compilation (Atticus: Dragging The Lake) and their video for their fist single (I Feel So) went straight into high rotation on MTV and is quickly climbing the charts on Launch.com. Some people wondered if this was just a stunt to make more money. I do not think so. As Thomas Delonge said in one quote, he wanted to make the band to cover more serious subjects which didn’t exactly fit into Blink 182’s style of music. It is more heavier and darker style. While Blink 182 sings about relationships/girls/friendship and such, Boxcar Racer sings about death and the end of the world. All the lyrics were written by Thomas DeLonge and all the music was written by Thomas DeLonge and Travis Barker. They wanted to make this album to make music, they didn’t want to become popular, just to have fun and say what they felt needed to be said.

“I don’t want to be in a side project to be popular. I just want to play music and have fun, so it probably won’t be the most radio-friendly or commercial-friendly music.”– Travis Barker

I Feel So
Staring off you hear a wonderful piano introduction, which soon moves onto a heavy guitar beat and drops into the powerful song. It is a song about feelings and being a kid. When your a kid, your confused and worried. Its a very powerful song going through all the feelings of a teenager. When you have ideas but do not have the power to full fill them. Here is the meaning according to Thomas DeLonge:

“It’s just a song about feelings. It’s really just about being a kid. Not really being a kid, but just about being angry at the world and kind of wishing you were a different way, but you can’t be a different way so you feel angry and you feel mad and you feel sad,
and that’s what’s in this song.”

All Systems Go
All Systems go is another song about being a teenager. No one acknowledges you until you do something big. It says to speak your mind, lose or get left behind, battle on, even when it looks hopeless.

Watch The World
This song is one of my favorite on the entire album. It has a steady and slow beat which goes excellent with the lyrics. Have you ever just stopped and looked around. You’d be surprised at what you would see. The song talks about great things and bad things. Basically, just stop and look around you.

Tiny Voices
Tiny Voices appeared in the Atticus compilation released by Side One Dummy Records called Dragging The Lake. It is a song with a very heavy beat. I think it mostly talks about being confused and having second decisions.

Cat Like Thief
Formerly to be called Don’t Leave Her, Cat Like Thief features the signing talents of Tim Armstrong from Rancid and and Jordan Pudnik from New Found Glory (although, I can not hear his voice in it). Tim Armstrong has a girlfriend which he wants to dump. Thomas DeLonge wants to go out with the girl, he has liked her for a while. He is telling Tim Armstrong not to dump her because he shouldn’t.

And I
And I is a pretty good song. It talks about someone who missed his chance with the girl he liked. He really wants her but she barely notices him.

Letters To God
Letters To God is my absolutely favorite song on the entire album. It has a spectacular beat and rhythm and immensely deep lyrics. It talks about a guy writing to God, saying that he doesn’t want to die. “I Won’t Lie, I Won’t Sin, Maybe I Don’t Wanna Go”. It is a amazing song and should definelty become Boxcar Racer’s next single. The only bad thin in the song is when it suddenly goes really loud. It comes as a bit of a shock at first. But then you get over it.

My First Punk Song
Now this song is quite funny. It goes extremely fast and Thomas sings at a very high speed. It is a funny song sounding like the old time punk.

Sorrow
This is another cool song in Boxcar Racer’s debut album. It talks about someone who messed up in a relationship and is asking for forgiveness. He is extremely sorry, but the girl does not believe me.

There Is
There Is is another one of my favorites on the album. I’m not sure what its about exactly, but it has a awesome beat to it.
The End With You
This is a song about the end of the world. Easy as that.

Elevator
Featuring the singing talents of the last Blink 182 member, Mark Hoppus. It some ways I think this refers to the tragic event of September 11th. It sounds as if a building is falling and you hear people that are falling talking, and people that are on the ground watching it. I am not sure if the song was meant to be interpreted this way, but that is the way I hear it.

Instrumental
Simple: a instrumental. Well worth a listen.