Motion City Soundtrack / Schatzi

split CD (2003)
Redemption/Doghouse

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Scott
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on April 22nd 2003

I love Motion City Soundtrack. If you've been even a semi-frequent visitor to this site in the past 6 months or so, you've easily figured this out. So when they announced they were doing a split CD with another band that is in my "good" column, Schatzi, I got rather excited.

Then I got said split CD, and experienced a rather rude awakening.

Allow me to explain. First up on the CD are the Minneapolis/Richmond quintet who recently signed to Epitaph, Motion City Soundtrack. And here's where I sound like a scenester, so be warned. The three songs the band contributes ["Throw Down," "Capital H," and "Back To The Beat"] are all re-recorded from the band's 2000 Back To The Beat EP, and they lose a lot of their energy in these new recordings. The band's unique blend of 80s indie rock, mid-nineties emo, and timeless MOOG-pop sounds a bit stale on these songs. I know it's not the songs, because the EP these songs were originally on still sounds fresh and unique. The band just sounds a bit winded on these tracks, and the recording is almost too clean for any sort of enjoyment. The band's retooling of "Back To The Beat" is a noble effort, but it's ending drags on for much too long. A lackluster effort from a band that I know can do better.

The second band on the EP, Austin-via-Oklahoma City natives Schatzi, fare slightly better with their three tracks. "Coreopsis" is a brooding number [for this band, at least], that kicks into a 1-2-fuck-you punk rock beat out of nowhere. It's fresh, and it rocks. "Arithmetic's Collapse" is a rocking crunchy guitar number, reminiscent of Guided By Voices or Superdrag. So far, the band is 2-for-2.

Then they bust out a damn Journey cover.

Okay, this is a memo to all bands - NO MORE JOURNEY COVERS. In the past 3 months, I've gotten three CDs [this one, the new Rise Against, and the new Young And The Useless] that all contain covers of Journey's "Any Way You Want It." The cover's alright, but man, I am so sick of hearing this song, it just puts me into a rage every time it comes on. I just want to kick a dog or something.

Okay, maybe I don't get that enraged, but seriously, no more Journey covers.

So my opinions on both of these bands changed after this CD. Motion City Soundtrack's stock dropped a few points, whereas Schatzi definitely climbed up my heavy-rotation ladder. Hopefully MCS can dig out of this slump with their upcoming I Am The Movie re-release, and hopefully Schatzi can ride this high through their next album, due out on Hollywood Records later this year.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (April 27, 2003)

"So what?! So let's dance!" ...anyway you want it...

Anonymous (April 26, 2003)

i'm addicted to that CD at the momment

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

thank God. rancid punx sucked

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

This is the last comment that will ever be made by rancid punx. Live long and like prossfer or something. -rancid punx

r. I. P

TheBouncingSoul (April 24, 2003)

will that re-release be re-recorded versions of the old songs, or the same versions?

CaptainCrunch (April 24, 2003)

Motion City Soundtrack is the only thing that matters. They rock.

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

I like motion city soundtrack because when i hear their music i think about clouds and i like clouds. Clouds are cool. One time this cloud went up to me and was like whatever.

-RaNcId PuNx

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

I never listened to 80s cockrock. I'm still listening to 80s buttrock.

Ramo
(look what the cat dragged in, baby)

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

I know it's not the songs, because the EP these songs were originally on still sounds fresh and unique.

I haven't heard this album but the first part of this sentence doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the sentence. Maybe it's just me but I feel a "good" song can be played sub-par and still be good. The best example of this that I can think of right now is The Beatles - they weren't great musicians but the songwriting was there.

waste_elite (April 22, 2003)

"Everyone needs to quit kissing Journey's ass. Christ, its on thing to appreciate "Slippery When Wet" by Bon Jovi for novelty purposes, but it seems like everyone and their fucking dog has been on their knees for Journey lately. 80's cockrock doesn't get any better with time kids..."

get with it sickboi, don't you know its hip to like shitty 80's bands these days?

inagreendase (April 22, 2003)

although i will give the cover an 8. it's pretty fuckin funny, reminds me of a the birds album cover or something.

inagreendase (April 22, 2003)

student rick wasn't even that good but their journey version is the best i've heard from any band.

motion city soundtrack is so bad. if anyone was going to lead a weezer resurrection it should not be these guys. and it should not be epitaph, because they will give these guys undeserved popularity.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Motion City Soundtrack is very ass kicking. Buy anything by them. They are a pop-punkish band with a different sound. This split is ok but id go buy motion city soundtracks " I am the movie" that CD gets 5 stars from me. The choice is now yours. Choose wisely.

-RaNcId PuNx

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

omg!!!1 that cover art is so fucking killer.

tenderbransonx (April 22, 2003)

I don't find myself listening to music with as much pop and sweetness as MCS very often but I really like these guys. I enjoy these song but I have not heard the original "back to the beat" so maybe my opinion would change. But until then I'm going to listen to this band with the same amount of guilty pleasure that comes from masturbating to Katie Holmes.
-Steven

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Everyone needs to quit kissing Journey's ass. Christ, its on thing to appreciate "Slippery When Wet" by Bon Jovi for novelty purposes, but it seems like everyone and their fucking dog has been on their knees for Journey lately. 80's cockrock doesn't get any better with time kids...

-sickboi

TheBouncingSoul (April 22, 2003)

student rick did abominations to alot of songs...mostly their own

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

I think Student Rick did an abomination to that Journey song. damn bastards.

Ramo

maverick (April 22, 2003)

That Journey song rules.

More specifically, that Journey video rules. One of my favorite videos ever.

-Scott

TheBouncingSoul (April 22, 2003)

Yeah, if you're gonna go Journey, atleast do that break those chains that bind you song

And I enjoy all the mcs songs on here, I think they sound great...

maverick (April 22, 2003)

Are you serious? God, doesn't anyone know any other Journey songs?

-Scott

johnnydanger (April 22, 2003)

student rick covers it on Victory Style 5. Student Rick...::suicide motion::

StabbingGoldfish (April 22, 2003)

I seriously laughed out loud when i read this: "I just want to kick a dog or something."

MCS is a really good live band.

travis (April 22, 2003)

Very interesting indeed. I thought the MCS songs were much better than the schatzi songs, though I do agree that they sounded better on the ep. its still fn to have them on rotation at school though.