My Republic
Encyclopedia
My Republic is the seventh and final studio album by the Santa Cruz, California
-based hardcore punk
band Good Riddance
, released June 27, 2006 through Fat Wreck Chords
. It marked the band's return from an almost three-year period of inactivity, during which singer and primary songwriter Russ Rankin
had been active in his new band Only Crime
while guitarist Luke Pabich had started a side project called Outlie. It also marked the return of drummer Sean Sellers to Good Riddance, replacing Dave Wagenschutz who had played on the band's two previous albums Symptoms of a Leveling Spirit
(2001) and Bound by Ties of Blood and Affection
(2003). Sellers had previously been a member of Good Riddance from 1996 to 1999, playing on A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion
(1996), Ballads from the Revolution
(1998), and Operation Phoenix
(1999), and had played with Pabich in Outlie during Good Riddance's hiatus.
Good Riddance had recorded their three previous albums at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado
, but for My Republic they returned to Motor Studios in San Francisco, where they had recorded 1998's Ballads from the Revolution. However, they retained the production team of Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore from The Blasting Room, who had recorded and produced all of their studio material since 1999. My Republic would prove to be Good Riddance's final studio album, as the band broke up in May 2007. It was followed by Remain in Memory: The Final Show, a live album recorded at their final performance.
." Chris Moran of Punknews.org
also gave the album three and a half stars out of five, stating that "What you get with My Republic is the Good Riddance sampler platter: some harder, some melodic and some in between. The opening track, 'Out of Mind,' is the best song Bad Religion
never wrote, with the exception of Russ' distinctive vocals." He was critical of the album's pacing, however, with slower tracks like "Texas" and "Boise" placed immediately after more raucous songs like "Out of Mind" and "Regret", and found Rankin's vocals lacking "bite": "And thus seems to be the constant theme of the album — pick me up with some great stuff, and then let me down with some 'eh' material. Musically and lyrically (for the most part), this is some of the best music Good Riddance has ever done. Unfortunately, it's the delivery that stumbles. Russ's vocals just seem to be lacking that punch they’ve always had."
version of the album includes enhanced CD
content consisting of video footage of a three-song live performance in Santa Cruz, California
from August 2005, and a PETA
documentary entitled "Meet Your Meat".
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
-based hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band Good Riddance
Good Riddance
Good Riddance was a punk rock band from Santa Cruz, California. They released seven full-length studio albums on Fat Wreck Chords, and their final album was a live recording of their farewell concert in 2007. Led by vocalist Russ Rankin, the band's longtime lineup included guitarist Luke Pabich,...
, released June 27, 2006 through Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
. It marked the band's return from an almost three-year period of inactivity, during which singer and primary songwriter Russ Rankin
Russ Rankin
Russ Rankin is an American singer from Santa Cruz, CA. He has recorded and played in such notable bands as Good Riddance and Only Crime.-Musical Biography:...
had been active in his new band Only Crime
Only Crime
Only Crime is a melodic hardcore group formed by Good Riddance singer Russ Rankin and Bane guitarist Aaron Dalbecin 2003. The band plays melodic but hard-hitting punk rock that borrows heavily from early-1980s hardcore bands such as Black Flag.-History:...
while guitarist Luke Pabich had started a side project called Outlie. It also marked the return of drummer Sean Sellers to Good Riddance, replacing Dave Wagenschutz who had played on the band's two previous albums Symptoms of a Leveling Spirit
Symptoms of a Leveling Spirit
Symptoms of a Leveling Spirit is the fifth album by the Santa Cruz, California-based hardcore punk band Good Riddance, released July 10, 2001 through Fat Wreck Chords. It was their only release ever to chart, reaching #32 on Billboards Independent Albums chart...
(2001) and Bound by Ties of Blood and Affection
Bound By Ties of Blood and Affection
Bound by Ties of Blood and Affection is the sixth studio album by the Santa Cruz, California-based hardcore punk band Good Riddance, released May 20, 2003 through Fat Wreck Chords. Like their previous two studio albums it was recorded at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado with the...
(2003). Sellers had previously been a member of Good Riddance from 1996 to 1999, playing on A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion
A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion
A Comprehensive Guide to Moderne Rebellion is the second album by the Santa Cruz, California-based hardcore punk band Good Riddance, released June 4, 1996 through Fat Wreck Chords. It was the band's first album with drummer Sean Sellers, replacing Rich McDermott who had left the group...
(1996), Ballads from the Revolution
Ballads From the Revolution
Ballads from the Revolution is the third album by the Santa Cruz, California-based hardcore punk band Good Riddance, released February 10, 1998 through Fat Wreck Chords.- Reception :...
(1998), and Operation Phoenix
Operation Phoenix (album)
Operation Phoenix is the fourth album by the Santa Cruz, California-based hardcore punk band Good Riddance, released May 4, 1999 through Fat Wreck Chords...
(1999), and had played with Pabich in Outlie during Good Riddance's hiatus.
Good Riddance had recorded their three previous albums at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
, but for My Republic they returned to Motor Studios in San Francisco, where they had recorded 1998's Ballads from the Revolution. However, they retained the production team of Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore from The Blasting Room, who had recorded and produced all of their studio material since 1999. My Republic would prove to be Good Riddance's final studio album, as the band broke up in May 2007. It was followed by Remain in Memory: The Final Show, a live album recorded at their final performance.
Reception
Corey Apar of Allmusic rated My Republic three and a half stars out of five, remarking that "[it] may be Good Riddance's seventh proper album to date, but instead of sounding tired and played out, it finds the band as fierce and commanding as it was at number one ... their furious SoCal hardcore continues to be tempered by a greater sense of melody." He particularly complemented Rankin's lyrics, saying "As personal as he is politically charged, Rankin has always possessed a certain heartfelt sincerity to his articulated disillusionment that manages to ring much closer to home than, say, the vehemently militaristic rage of a band like Anti-FlagAnti-Flag
Anti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
." Chris Moran of Punknews.org
Punknews.org
Punknews.org is a website founded by Aubin Paul which launched in 1999. The website publishes music news and album reviews relating to punk rock, hardcore punk, ska, indie rock and heavy metal...
also gave the album three and a half stars out of five, stating that "What you get with My Republic is the Good Riddance sampler platter: some harder, some melodic and some in between. The opening track, 'Out of Mind,' is the best song Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
never wrote, with the exception of Russ' distinctive vocals." He was critical of the album's pacing, however, with slower tracks like "Texas" and "Boise" placed immediately after more raucous songs like "Out of Mind" and "Regret", and found Rankin's vocals lacking "bite": "And thus seems to be the constant theme of the album — pick me up with some great stuff, and then let me down with some 'eh' material. Musically and lyrically (for the most part), this is some of the best music Good Riddance has ever done. Unfortunately, it's the delivery that stumbles. Russ's vocals just seem to be lacking that punch they’ve always had."
Track listing
The compact discCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
version of the album includes enhanced CD
Enhanced CD
Enhanced CD, also known as CD Extra and CD Plus, is a certification mark of the Recording Industry Association of America for various technologies that combine audio and computer data for use in both Compact Disc and CD-ROM players....
content consisting of video footage of a three-song live performance in Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
from August 2005, and a PETA
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
documentary entitled "Meet Your Meat".
Personnel
- Russ RankinRuss RankinRuss Rankin is an American singer from Santa Cruz, CA. He has recorded and played in such notable bands as Good Riddance and Only Crime.-Musical Biography:...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Luke Pabich – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Chuck Platt – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Sean Sellers – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Bill Stevenson – producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, recording and mix engineerMix engineerA mix engineer, also referred to as "mixing engineer", is a person who, once all instruments, voices, and sounds, etc., have been recorded, creates what is called the final version of a song, hence the term "mix engineer"... - Jason Livermore – producer, recording and mix engineer, masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Johnny Schou – additional engineering
- Andrew Berlin – additional engineering
- Jamie McMann – additional engineering
External links
- My Republic at Fat Wreck ChordsFat Wreck ChordsFat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....