For me? This band without a doubt saved my life. They were a best friend for me when I felt I had no one to talk to. I'd come home from work and scream/cry their songs out loud to relieve the anxiety I was feeling at the time. It's the reason I want to make music. To do what the front bottoms did for me when I was so deeply confused and scared of everything.

How they do it?? I've been trying to articulate how for years. But I can never quite figure it out. To me that's what true art is. It's not something you can explain, but I'm going to try anyway:

They create a character portrait of a person who is DEEPLY confused, scared, and ashamed. but its articulated in a way where if you don't understand it, it sounds absolutely ridiculous and even comical (Ever tried to show the front bottoms to someone and they actually think you're joking??) It's like if you don't get it, it sounds like a joke. 'hahah this band's so silly what are they saying' but when YOU heard it it's like 'omg they're actually fucking in my head what is going on, I thought I was the only person who felt this way.'

Example: The Bass Is Too Loud

The narrative I imagine when I hear this song, is of someone who's just had the worst fucking day, they're at the verge of having a breakdown, everything's falling apart in front of them and they're in a toxic, abusive relationship, but they try to sleep it off. But you know how it's the little things that sort you off?? He says "I've had the worst fucking day, I hate everything, but let's just try to sleep it off" then they try to sleep. But guess what?? Someone's playing something, and THE BASS IS TOO LOUD.

and that's it. You fucking lose your mind, something so small as the bass being too loud and it making it hard to sleep sets you into a mental breakdown. I think it's proven by the next line 'well if god helps those who help themselves, he ain't got much for me' that's when he starts spiralling into all these depressing, self destructive thoughts. The second verse (imo) says he later self harms (I probably should have gone to the hospital but I decided to let it bleed) following the breakdown, it's just getting more, and more intense, everything comes out.

The end of the song FUCKING KILLS ME. and sums up everything he's been saying following up to it. He just can't stop saying it 'walls are too thin, bass is too loud' He's fucking hyperventilating and depicting a panic attack, and what's he saying? 'walls are too thin,

the bass is too loud,

Walls are too thin,

walls are too thin,

WALLS ARE TOO THIN.

Now do I sound like a schizophrenic writing this? Maybe 😂😂 but how is this not absolutely fucking genius songwriting?? Such an amazing premise, so unique, building and building in intensity until he just screams and his voice cracks, its absolutely fucking heart-wrenching. But if you showed it so someone who didn't get it, this would sound so ridiculous.

And that's how I felt. I wanted to kill myself, I wanted to self harm, but if anyone asked me why?? I couldn't explain it, and they'd probably laugh if I tried.

That's why I love The Front Bottoms. It felt like they just, got me. They're not expositionally explaining the emotional state, it's an absolute mess, both horribly articulated and yet they explain it better than I ever could. I tried explaining this to anyone who will listen to me, but they don't know what I'm saying. it's just a me and the front bottoms thing, a deep connection with someone who doesn't know me, but they knew what I was going through, more than anyone ever did or could have done.

If anyone read this all the way through thank you so much 😂😂 I'm not a good writer but that's the best I could do. I wanna keep doing analysis like this cause it's like a passion project for me and it just feels good to get it out there. Does anyone know what the fuck I'm saying at all?? Thank you ☺️