The hit “You Get What You Give” promotes optimism and perseverance (“Don’t let go . . . Don’t give up/You got a reason to live”), however . . .
Its angry lyrics punctuated with profanity also threaten “fake” rockers and boast of vandalism. Cocaine, theft, porn, lesbianism, anti-Christian bigotry and peddling a dead man’s organs make “I Hope I Didn’t Just Give Away the Ending” extremely dark and mean spirited. Though the singer claims to be content simply to hold his girl’s hand, he reminds her of past sexual conquests and says, “You better start making my love” (“In Need of a Miracle”). The artist introduces listeners to a bitter, cynical, anarchistic young woman who shot a man at the age of nine (“Jehovah Made This Whole Joint for You”).”Gotta Stay High” promotes puffing marijuana to escape life’s pressures. A man calls his vodka-drinking, pot-smoking girlfriend a “b–ch”(“Flowers”). References to alcohol and LSD absent from the songs themselves show up on the lyric sheet. An inaudible f-word also appears in print.
Gregg Alexander’s vocals summon images of Mick Jagger and Darryl Hall while his band’s sound brings to mind ’70s rockers ELO and The Rolling Stones. An intriguing retro style. But acerbic songs obsessed with drug use and other vices spoil it. Don’t let teens get Brainwashed.
