Artist/Group: Spoiler NYC
Album: Grease Fire in Hell’s Kitchen
Side One, Track One: “Ruined”
Somewhere between later-stage street punk and Social Distortion comes the debut release from Spoiler NYC, Grease Fire in Hells Kitchen. The band, comprised of Alan Robert, “Junkyard” Chris Silletti and Tommy Clayton, delivers a sound entirely distant from that of Robert’s other band, Life of Agony. Occasionally coming off with a Cro-Mags type beef, as with the title track, the bulk of the album’s sound revolves around something reminiscent of Rancid’s earlier work. The album’s themes deal with battling suicidal thoughts, drugs (”High Friends in Low Places” for instance) and other demons; the album’s lead track is no exception. “Ruined” is one of the most melodic of songs on the album, at times evocative of Social Distortion’s rendition of the Stones’ “Under My Thumb.” The lyrical basis for the song deals with loss and the tendency to spiral out of control as a result of it. Possibly at the heart of the song, as was the case for the band’s creation, was the loss of one of Robert’s dear friends; a circumstance that has shattered many a similar soul.
Should Have Been Side One Track One: “Ruined”
For all intensive purposes Grease Fire in Hells Kitchen is a punk record, but at times it is entirely schizophrenic. Waving about between the album’s KROQ-tailored single, “Suicide Hotel,” Sting’s murder ballad (hopefully inspired by Johnny Cash’s version) “I Hung My Head,” and the thuddish punk of much of the rest of the album leaves the listener with a strange feeling of inconsistency. Had “Ruined” been replaced by another track the album would have lost much of its initial attraction, thus leaving its inconsistencies blazing; rather “Ruined” plays the role of a strong introduction to the album’s well varied body.
Spoiler NYC “Ruined” Lyrics
I’m ruined, goin’ down in flames, goin’ down in flames. I’m ruined, goin’ down in flames, goin’ down in flames. Come back to me, ’cause the things that I hold dear to me go away, go away, go away.
Had a hard luck year facin’ all my fears, got a nasty reputation drinkin’ white trash beer. Now it’s all I want, are the things I had but they’re out of reach, out of my grasp. It’s not alright, never been OK, nothing’s ever gonna be the same again. Been headed here my entire life, down this wayward path, path, path.
I’m ruined, goin’ down in flames, goin’ down in flames. I’m ruined, goin’ down in flames, goin’ down in flames. Come back to me, ’cause the things that I hold dear to me go away, go away, go away.
I’m ruined, goin’ down in flames, goin’ down in flames. I’m ruined, goin’ down in flames, goin’ down in flames. Come back to me, ’cause the things that I hold dear to me go away, go away, go away.
At the bottom of this bottle I’ll remain, I’ll remain, I’ll remain.
Additional Spoiler NYC Audio Here
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