Lyrics and influence Jawbreaker (band)

–andy greenwald

many of schwarzenbach s lyrics rooted in specific concerns, lifted directly journal. focus on personal, immediate matters, coupled descriptive imagery , word choices, attracted listeners schwarzenbach , made him cult idol in rock , roll circles. attraction songwriter, writes greenwald in nothing feels good: punk rock, teenagers, , emo, wasn t song listeners related to, singer. jawbreaker s tour manager christy colcord recalls of [the fans] hovered around blake because was, like, poet them. these people wanted heartbreak validated understand—or wanted drink whiskey them. idolization of schwarzenbach came described cult of blake. according rock critic chris ryan, in terms of contemporary music, cult of blake matched cult of morrissey .

before bivouac s release, jawbreaker recorded song kiss bottle mission district-themed compilation of vinyl singles titled 17 reasons: mission district. last song recorded before schwarzenbach s throat surgery, , vocals on recording mottled , choked. greenwald cites track 1 of [jawbreaker s] seminal , best-loved songs , calling sludgy , churning, working-class anthem steady, proletarian heart . lyrics profiling pair of drunks outside mission district liquor store, kiss bottle, more other song, captures sensitive boy machismo drew (and continues draw) male listeners altar of schwarzenbach. fictional scrim, kiss bottle functions country song: emotional impact heightened specificity, not lessened. kiss bottle kerouac; s bukowski. s allure of giving despair, doing wrong thing , @ least succeeding @ that. song has been cited favorite , influence jim ward of @ drive-in , sparta, , ron richards, editor of successful zine muddle.

public interest in jawbreaker increased in years following breakup, due in part chart-toppings acts such fall out boy , chemical romance publicly citing jawbreaker influence. in 2003 dying wish records released tribute album bad scene, s fault: jawbreaker tribute, featuring 18 acts including fall out boy, bayside, face face, , sparta performing cover versions of jawbreaker songs.