Teen angst, peer pressure, and the need for God in facing these problems dominate Any Minute Now, the latest from Squirt. Jordan Dickerson, Matt Smith, and Chris Fuel at some point probably received the advice given to all writers: "Write what you know" -- being teens themselves, they have crafted ten songs that show what kids today face in their daily world.
"Pressure", a Green Day soundalike, portrays a scene we all experienced in high school, or in trying to "keep up with the Joneses" -- altering our looks, personality, or image in order to be accepted by others. Jordan Dickerson points out the futility of these efforts:
Why be accepted by them?
They're just as insecure as you
Why don't you go to Someone who
Can understand your problems
Get your burdens off your back
And guide you down the narrow road?
"No Turning Back" reminds us of the loyalty that Christ has to His Children. "Laugh" is about praising God in whatever form comes naturally to you, whether it be through dance, expression of joy, crying, or lifting your hands. "It's You", backed by a Blink 182-style guitar line, thanks God for help and praises Him for victory.
"Don't Give In" is somewhat of a departure musically, opening with a reggae beat, then settling back into the familiar skate-punk Squirt form. "Reasons" reflects on school violence, listing movies, video games, and television as contributing factors, but forcefully pointing to the removal of God from the schools as the reason these things occur.
"Where You Are" is a study in the lack of self-esteem, of someone dreaming they could be anywhere else, instead of where they are. Matt Smith and Chris Fuel remind the subject that the slurs they receive from others are not necessarily the truth:
Don't you know that where you are
you're something special
And believe me when I tell you
That it's AOK
To have a dream but please
Don't let your dreams confuse you
Because God is gonna use you
Right where you are.
Some have considered Squirt to be a novelty act, a precocious "look at the kids playing their guitars" type of one-off. Any Minute Now disproves this theory quite nicely -- all three share vocals here, and Chris Fuel's guitars in particular stand up well against any other punk act in Christian circles. They may well be kids, but they are following Paul's advice to Timothy: "Let no man despise you because of your youth". Any Minute Now could well describe when they will receive widespread notice.
3.5 tocks
