MY DINOSAUR LIFE - MY TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW.

Last week, you may have seen my tumblr post regarding Anna's track-by-track review of the streaming My Dinosaur Life. Her post inspired me to write my own track-by-track and I've decided to post it here in celebration of the album's official release - TODAY!

Here is me celebratin'!

I wish I could say I had a glass of wine or two before taking these pictures, but I didn't. I am simply that excited for the date to be JANUARY 19TH 2010! It was a long time coming. Plus, I keep posting the album cover and that just gets boring to see on every post, right?

Anyway - here's what I wrote last week in response to Anna's post:

I love these track-by-track reviews! After only being able to discuss the songs with a handful of people who’d heard it, I’m eager to hear what others think. I’m in love with My Dinosaur Life, and I write that trying to be completely unbiased, as somebody who’s been listening to the band before I knew them, and just happened to marry the keyboardist - I write that as a fan! (As dorky as it may be. As “meant to be” as it all seems.)

I’m somebody that falls in love with music and then must hear how others hear it (see also: Heartbreaker, Deja Entendu, The Con) - I made all my friends buy I Am the Movie on the power of seeing them live in 2003 before it was released on Epitaph and having only a two-song sampler of “My Favorite Accident” and “The Future Freaks Me Out” to pass around. I scoured the AP.net threads for first-listen opinions on CTTM as well…and pretty sure I left my own. I remember when they posted “Better Open the Door” on AP.net pre-album release and I listened to it over, and over, and over again. I’m not going to lie: hearing the songs for EIIKM and MDL in-studio months before release definitely still gave me a rush of fan-excitement.

Also, I’ve come to find that MCS have the BEST fans! They all seem so fun and positive and ready for whatever MCS has in store for them.

I present to you my fan-to-the-max track-by-track review --

01 Worker Bee

What great lines to open an album with - "it's been a good year, a good new beginning." First songs should get you excited for what's in store, and I think "Worker Bee" is a wonderful example; it always leaves me full of anticipation, every time I hear it. Also from the get-go, you hear Justin singing his lungs out superbly and he keeps up that raw intensity through most of the album.

02 A Lifeless Ordinary (Need a Little Help)

This catchy number was the first demo I heard, and just from that recording - with the machine drums - I had it stuck in my head for days. I found myself walking around and singing the chorus; at the same time I can't stress how absurdly greater the songs became after Tony's drums were added - before I was just walking around, but after hearing the final version I was bopping my head and shuffling my feet down city sidewalks. Tony's drumming has some sort of crazy charisma, I swear.

Of course, my first reaction to the song was to the lyric "indoor living, lacerated to the bone," I remember telling Jesse, "Did he say indoor living? Oh man, the fans are gonna love that." (Read: I freakin' love that.) I also loved hearing this song played in Las Vegas for the first time in July, and then played several months later in Chicago to a room that knew the lyrics and the room singing along: "but I'm gonna need a little help to get me, need a little help to get me..." etc., etc., etc. Sentiments of camaraderie.

03 Her Words Destroyed My Planet

You all know me too well: I immediately loved this song because of the Veronica Mars namedrop (seriously, does this give you enough incentive to watch that marvelous television show yet?!). The sounds of the song are kooky and perfect, I am almost always shaking my head violently side to side when I hear this song. Hey guess what I'm doing now? THAT. 

But back to those lyrics - some people mistake all the pop culture references in the songs as some sort of abstraction without real emotion, but MCS songs (especially about love) are entirely relevant and relatable. I've already gotten an email saying "there's no way this song doesn't remind you of me." It's true! These songs about love are also never corny, which never ceases to amaze me.

04 Disappear

Love the strength in this song - the first "I can disappear" always comes with the imagery of a fist pump. The song bites and drives and never lets you go. The chosen words add to the mood, such as - cadavers, decompose, festering, severing, artery. The last words seem a desperate plea after feeling like this song has been chasing you...

05 Delirium

I dig the minimalist-sounding verses here, complimented by the big choruses that tread upon old subjects that haven't tired. Another great example of Justin's fun vocals, plus the classic MCS pull of sounding fun but talking about something more serious - or are they? Honestly, this song makes me laugh when he sings, "I didn't know it was hot in the middle."

06 History Lesson

For a while, I had been listening to the original version of this song (the song that went up on MySpace last week until it got replaced by the actual final version). I think the first version didn't have a lot of personality - and MCS is nothing if not full of that. This version is a bit more complex and fun; there are gang vocals!

07 Stand Too Close

Maybe my favourite songs are those without actual choruses (i.e., "Last Night"). This was a hit with me personally right when I heard it. Handclaps, people, handclaps. Romance me with handclaps, I'll be yours forever. But for real: there's a seriousness here juxtaposed with cheeky lyrics. And as the song culminates in louder and louder sounds, my smile gets bigger.

08 Pulp Fiction

And even bigger! Maybe it's those choice keyboards at the beginning - they almost remind me of a certain No Doubt song - guess I'm a sucker for those spacey keyboard sounds. And here is the onslaught of pop culture lyrics everybody loves MCS for! The rapid-paced song ends soothingly in those lovely "aahhhhs" - I'm most definitely into it.

09 @!#?@!

Here it is! My dance around the room and sing into the mirror song! I always think that any album worth a damn has one of those especially for me (or others who do the same!). I can't wait to hear the crowd go crazy to this one live. I remember hearing the geeky (& yes, very explicit) lyrics and specifically the phrase "sensitive home boys" and thinking fans were going to die laughing, as I did upon first hearing it. I definitely snap my fingers along and dance around like I'm at a sockhop - no joke! And no, I will not video this for you! WORD!

10 Hysteria

Totally into the opening of this song; it makes me think that perhaps Motion City Soundtrack should just tour with No Doubt already! Nobody will get that. But since I know every ND song and their intricacies, I find myself bouncing around to My Dinosaur Life like I do of their own fun, beguiling, layered albums. Plus, I can't deny that I don't have dreams about a tour line-up like that. But you know what this song has that very little ND songs have? You guessed it: handclaps.

11 Skin and Bones

Honestly, going through these songs makes me realize how much I love each and every one of them together and separately. There's not one I would toss out of the bunch. The whole album is pure and unadulterated MCS, and the streak continues with this mounting and lovely ditty. It makes me want to "frolic." Yup.

I hesitate to restate this, but maybe this one's my favourite? Can I have five faves? Twelve?

12 The Weakends

Okay, wait, no THIS is my favourite song on the album. I could listen to that intro and kick-in forever. I'm not much of a jam band fan, but I wouldn't complain if those first 45 seconds or so lasted for many more minutes. I think it just relaxes me into the finale of the album only to jolt me awake: we're not done yet. And that's what this song, and ultimately the album is - aggressive. Some of the songs are obviously softer, but I'm pretty sure MCS just knocked you out with how awesome these songs are by the time you come to those last notes and the slow burn.

Don't forget to buy it, now! Have I not convinced you how RAD it is yet? Because, really, it is. It's not just me. All the reviews coming in have been backing me up, and I couldn't be more happy. Also: PROUD! I'm so proud of those dudes and their abilities to produce (with Mark Hoppus' help, of course) My Dinosaur Life.

Support them by checking the album out at your local retailer or online at Shockhound, Amazon, or iTunes (here's the Deluxe with five extra songs!).

And please, send me any links to your own blogged reviews or leave your thoughts in the comments! What's your favourite song? Which one can't you wait to hear live?! TELL ME! Let's discuss!!!