Boxcar Racer

Tom and Travis of Blink 182 team up with friends David Kennedy and Anthony Celestino (Over My Dead Body) for the side project Boxcar Racer. Think Blink 182, but darker, edgier, and more mature. The songs are definitely less upbeat-pop-punk, though that voice is distinctive enough that constant comparisons are inevitable. The addition of strings, piano, and a fair amount of acoustic guitar add to a more musically complex landscape, and Travis shows just how talented a drummer he really is. The lead single, I Feel So, is a fair indicator of the album's direction. The subject matter is a bit more philosophical and less teen angst friendly than Blink, which is probably the whole point of this project. The guitar frequently references Blink 182 riffs, which is an interesting move for a seperate project.

The self-titled first album from Boxcar Racer. The theme throughout the album is the end of different things such as the world, relationships, and lives. According to the band in concert, Elevator is dedicated to the September 11th victims. Listening to the lyrics this is almost obscene yet profoundly blunt. The track takes two viewpoints of someone jumping from a building: the jumper and the person on the street. Overall, an excellent album, albeit depressing, that is refreshingly deflating.

Track List

1. I Feel So (4:29)
2. All Systems Go (3:15)
3. Watch The World (3:54)
4. Tiny Voices (3:27)
5. Cat Like Thief (4:24)
6. And I (3:13)
7. Letters to God (3:16)
8. My First Punk Song (1:01)
9. Sorrow (3:28)
10. There Is (3:18)
11. End With You (3:10)
12. Elevator (2:45)
13. Instrumental (1:58)