The day is September 2nd, I just turned 23 and still filled with existential dread. Then I find that my favorite folk-rock band, The Front Bottoms, released the third of their grandma EPs! A little late, but an awesome birthday present! Let’s look at “Theresa”!
“Theresa” and Existential Dread:
A little lore for the peeps that don’t know what “the grandma EPs” are. New Jersey duo/band The Front Bottoms like to honor their older stuff with re-recorded collections named after one of their grandma’s. Now, how old are we talkin’? I’m talking about stuff recorded on a laptop webcam mic before any official studio releases. They did this in their basement in the good ol’ days, now they pick a few and do so in a studio. So, now that you’re caught up on the latest episode of the anime, what exactly does “Theresa” go into?
The five song EP starts off with “More Than It Hurts You,” a certified fan favorite for many of us. A song going over the somewhat manic thoughts that involve the preservation of someone through art rather than identity after death. Lines talking about tattooing poems and cutting off fingers may seem excessive, but musically you’re so enthralled that you won’t care. That said, there’s one line that stands out and encapsulates these tracks perfectly.
“And I will learn to come to terms with the things that I will never know.”
Classic existential issues right there, and that’s carried throughout the work. The true stand-out to me. The one song here where I thought, as a long time listener, that it’d be the perfect bookend to the band. The absolutely heart wrenching “Hello World”.
Talking about growing up and realizing that the things you’ve done in search of answers no longer matter. It doesn’t matter because you’re a grown up and you need to focus on other things to occupy yourself, rather than writing nonsense. This is something I can relate to on my dark days. As I get older I find that my notebooks, like Bryan’s are filled with stories. Some of which have kept their meanings, and others that seem like nonsense. There’s a huge dissatisfaction and sadness in these songs with the way life develops to no longer being able to answer your questions. Hence the line
“Now it goes question, and then question, question, answers don’t come so easy.”
Conclusion:
Want a peek into The Front Bottoms most oddly comforting tracks dealing with the issues of growing up and making peace with not knowing? Then make sure to check out “Theresa” on Spotify by clicking the image above! If you like that then I highly recommend checking out the rest of their discography. Plus, they’re on tour, so make sure to get tickets on their website here. For more on your favorites and unknown check out our Word and Drops sections.
