Released: 2002
Label: Hellcat Records
The release of the sophomore album, Sing Sing Death House from hardcore punk band The Distillers was anything but a disappointment. The twelve-track album has more than fast percussion and hard guitar riffs. The album itself is full of lyrics of pain and accomplishment from the Australia native Brody Armstrong.
The first song of the album “Sick Of It All” tells chilling stories of school shootings and anorexia. The song has an anthem stating, “We are girls we think life is a scam, we come from wasted land. We are girls we play punk rock and roll, if we didn’t we got no soul.”
The album even has a song about women’s rights and the freedoms of women in the US of A today. The song “Seneca Falls” is chock full of history about the convention that took place in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. “Susan B. Anthony Forever haunting me, owned raped sold thrown, a woman was never her own” is the first verse to the song expressing Brody’s own feelings about the convention.
Not every song on the record is about other people. The song “The Young Crazed Peeling” takes the fans into the journey of Brody Armstrong’s life as a child and now. “My name is Brody, I’m from Melbourne, Fitzroy Melbourne, Fitzroy Melbourne. I grew up on Bell St., then on Bennett St. My mom kicked out my dad for battery. Found a way, she found a way out of spiritual penury. Working single mother in an urban struggle. Blames herself now cause I grew up troubled. It hit me I got everything I need” Brody belts out about her life in general. Later in the song Brody proclaims she has everyone she needs referring to her husband Tim Armstrong from another hardcore punk band and living legends Rancid.
In the song “City Of Angels” the line “They say this is the city, the city of angels. All I see is dead wings” refers to Brody’s new life living in Los Angeles, California. The message of this song is that not everything you hear is true. “City Of Angels” will be the second single off the album.
This album was better in my opinion then the self-titled album “The Distillers” which was put out in 2000 on Hellcat Records. Don’t get me wrong; the first album broke new barriers for women in punk. This album had the same vibe to it. This is the album to save your allowance on. Trust me… you won’t be disappointed.
For More Information:
• Official Site: www.thedistillers.com