The ever-graying borders of musical genres have been blurred once again, this time on Relient K's sophomore release, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, an album showing tremendous growth since their debut.
Easily labeled as a "happy-music punk band" on their self-titled debut, Relient K has kept their fun loving, tongue-in-cheek nature readily available on ...Anatomy..., but has also opted to address some more serious topics with musical styles that refuse to be easily classified as "punk." Of the fifteen musical tracks (two additional non-musical tracks are reserved for silliness), Relient K runs the gamut of genres---acoustic ballad to all-out rock 'n' roll to piano-driven pop. And they don't hold back what they're really thinking either. "Down in Flames" speaks of lukewarm Christians characterized as cannibals who eat their own and as pre-occupied airplane passengers, who will one day awaken to see that they're about to crash. Lead singer and songwriter Matthew Thiessen sings "Christians, we prefer to suck on pacifiers. Baby pacifists, we're throwing fits. We don't shake hands, we shake our fists." Thiessen doesn't absolve himself from "this Christian Civil War," however, as he notes, "I'm a part of the problem, I confess, but I've got to get this off my chest". . .let's save the world from going down in flames." What's impressive about Thiessen's songwriting is that he doesn't just expose the problem, he also offers a solution.
The band takes a stab at legalism and corrupt authorities on "Failure to Excommunicate," where the person who doesn't "fit into that All-American box" is fitted with a "coffin created for creative thought." However, Thiessen notes that though the legalist's "gavel's gone down before he looked in your heart . . .Jesus loved the outcasts. He loves the ones the world just loves to hate." Thiessen hammers his own nail into the coffin when he sings, "As long as there's a Heaven, there'll be a failure to excommunicate."
However, the band still knows how to have fun, as is evident on "Breakdown," where Thiessen laments his car breaking down and the humorously titled "Maybe It's Maybelline," a song concerning Christian conflict. Of course, there are also a few tracks, such as "I'm Lion-O," a throw-back to the old school cartoon series Thundercats, and "May the Horse Be with You," a farce of Mr. Ed and Star Wars, which seem to lack any real point or message and left me more disturbed than amused.
"For the Moments I Feel Faint" and "Less Is More" reveal the most growth from Relient K. "Moments" is reminiscent of Green Day's "Time of Your Life" and features an acoustic guitar complemented by a cello, viola, and violin. The song sports a strong chorus, highlighted by Thiessen singing, "Never underestimate my Jesus. . .when the world around you crumbles, you will be strong, you will be strong."
"Less Is More" closes the album with a worshipful tone. Beginning as a quiet, piano melody, it climbs into a Ben Folds Five-ish piano-driven mode that showcases another side to Relient K's musical arsenal. The song ends in the same quiet plea that Thiessen began with: "Jesus I plead, please purify me."
Overall, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek is an impressive album that shows Relient K's ability to employ wit and sarcasm in their music, while addressing touchy subjects in a serious, yet still fun manner.
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Other coverage for this album
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