Welcome back to Left of The Dial! This week, we’re listening to Horrorscope by Eve 6. Eve 6 is a pop-punk band that hails from La Crescenta-Montrose, California, and consists of Max Collins on vocals and bass, Jon Siebels on guitar and vocals, and Tony Fagenson on drums. Horrorscope was the band’s second album, released in July 2000 (as of July 25, the album will have reached its 20th anniversary, fun fact). If you’re a fan of The X-Files, then you may have already caught on to the fact that Eve 6 cribbed their name from the character of the same name on the show. Don’t expect the pop-culture references to stop there, as Horrorscope has plenty more to be discovered. The album even generated a Top 40 hit with “Here’s to the Night,” which you could call their equivalent to Green Day’s “Good Riddance,” but we’ll save that song for later. Let’s start at the top and give this record a spin!
Side 1
Side 1 contains “Rescue,” “Promise,” “On the Roof Again,” “Sunset Strip Bitch,” “Here’s to the Night,” and “Amphetamines.”
“Rescue” pulls off the task of introducing listeners to the band’s distinct style and setting the scene for what to expect going forward. The intro straddles the line of sounding derivative of other pop-punk acts of the time, but subverts it around the 20-second mark by bringing in harder guitar riffs and amping up the subtle synth effects to give the song a futuristic sound. It oozes that early 2000’s futuristic aesthetic, which gives it charm for me.
The theme continues with the vocals and lyrics, expressing the narrator’s undying love for a girl, not an uncommon trope for its genre. The girl is compared to Jessica Rabbit of Who Framed Roger Rabbit fame, for both her looks and ‘bad girl’ persona. Collins’ delivery is fast and has a distinct flow, which makes me think he takes some inspiration from rap, in the same way Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys does. The lyrics read a little awkward on paper, but work surprisingly well in action. Overall, “Rescue” is an excellent first impression for what’s to come.
“Promise” is another solid track, going over the trials of committing to a relationship and not settling with just ‘trying’ to be a good partner. I’m struggling to come up with something to talk about that I haven’t already with the previous song, so I’ll keep this one short. That’s not a bad thing by any means; it’s another great song that just happens to do a lot of the same things right that “Rescue” did.
“On the Roof Again” is where things get really interesting. This one tackles the story of Leroy, who tied the knot with a girl too quickly and ends up threatening suicide when she catches him cheating on her. This seems to be a common occurrence for Leroy, as indicated by the accompaniment of ‘again’ when describing him being on the roof and threatening to jump. He isn’t all that sympathetic, since he essentially caused his own problems and cries wolf so much that his threats aren’t taken too seriously. The upbeat tone of the instrumentals help in conveying that Leroy is a drama queen, which lightens the atmosphere dramatically from what you might expect from a song about suicide. “On the Roof Again” is a good dose of sarcastic storytelling.
The track runs into the next one, “Sunset Strip Bitch.” This song is an anthem for the guys that try way too hard to score, dripping with the band’s signature snark. Our narrator is obsessed with astrology, looking cool for the ladies, and reading women’s magazines for dating advice. Despite the character’s ego, he comes off as way more endearing than Leroy from the previous track. The lyrics and instrumentals work together to paint a clear picture of this man, which probably explains why I love this track so much.
“Here’s to the Night” is the next song, and likely the one you’re most familiar with off the album. Though it didn’t reach number 1 on the charts, it did become a staple for graduation playlists after its release as a single. It’s about enjoying your final night with the people you love before moving on with life, which explains why it was such a popular graduation song. As you might expect, it’s a slow ballad that stands out from the rest of Horrorscope, but it doesn’t feel completely out of place either. I compared it to “Good Riddance” earlier for its crossover appeal, but they both also bringing in strings that set themselves further apart from their respective albums. The only issue I have with “Here’s to the Night” is the song’s placement in the album. It seems a little strange to have it close to the middle as opposed to the end, and it doesn’t even have the excuse of being at the end of Side 1. This doesn’t diminish the quality of the song by any means, it just throws off the pace of the album a bit.
Wrapping up Side 1 is “Amphetamines,” a personal favorite of mine. This one is about letting go of a partner and moving on with living separate lives. Even though the instrumentals return to the expected high tempo here, they don’t feel fun and snarky like they do on something like “On the Roof Again.” The bass and synths help give it a broody edge that matches the lyrics well. Even Collins’ vocals are more vulnerable and clingy than usual. It’s like he’s putting up a front to cover up his fear of moving on, which is exactly what the lyrics convey. Bravo!
Side 2
Side 2 contains “Enemy,” “Nocturnal,” “Jet Pack,” “Nightmare,” “Bang,” and “Girl Eyes.”
“Enemy” stands out right from the beginning, as the intro and verses ride strong on the synths, which give the song intensity. It’s fitting, because the lyrics tell a story about meeting an enemy and facing your fears head-on. The pace is a little slower, though it still has plenty of energy in the chorus. A detail I appreciate is the way the instrumentals lighten up in the bridge when the narrator’s fear turns to triumph and confidence after accomplishing his goal. This was a track I should have given a chance sooner, as I’ve come to really appreciate it and its quirks.
“Nocturnal” follows in the footsteps of “Amphetamines” in the way it describes troubling subject matter with slightly broodier instrumentals. “Nocturnal” is about being kept up at night by anxieties caused by a fight between partners. It’s fascinating to me how I’ve listened to this album so much in the past few years, yet I rarely picked up on the dark undertones because the upbeat instrumentals did such a good job of hiding them. Even more interesting is seeing those themes being carried through the whole album, of dark subjects being hidden behind a layer of snark and sarcasm.
“Jet Pack” is about a flighty individual who can’t seem to commit to any actions, and is always roaring to move on to something else. This person is close to the narrator, and it’s implied that perhaps there’s something between them stronger than friendship, but not quite romance either, as they flirt constantly with other people. The narrator just wants his friend to open up to him and explain the method of their madness. As I ponder this song, I can’t help but compare the friend to Ramona Flowers from Scott Pilgrim, since she also has commitment issues that are the core of her actions. I love the intimacy of the relationship between the narrator and friend; it’s a unique relationship that’s hard to find in a musical setting.
“Nightmare” is an energetic song about the contrast between the narrator’s lonely waking life and his escape in the form of his dreams. His loneliness seems to be from his lack of romance, as his dreams seem to be, well, wet, if you catch my drift. As depraved as the subject may be to some, it’s a welcome bit of levity from the other adult problems we’ve been hit with for the past couple of tracks. We see the return of Collins’ snarky lyrics here, which is a delight. I also love how the track is carried by the bass line as opposed to the drums or even the occasional synths. It’s easy to forget how powerful the right bass part can be on a song until you come across a song like “Nightmare.” Can you tell it’s another personal favorite of yours truly?
“Bang” is up next, showing the explosive feelings the narrator has for a woman. She has an almost supernatural magnetic pull he can’t resist, and not even the boundary of distance can keep them apart. Though the lyrics and delivery are on point, the instrumentals don’t quite get there. They don’t have the ‘bang’ I’m expecting, which is a shame given the album’s good track record up to this point. They’re far from bad or unfitting, but it left this track as somewhat forgettable.
Finally, we come to the end of the album with “Girl Eyes.” Lucky for us, it’s far from forgettable. This is another slower song, driven with an acoustic guitar, about getting into drunken shenanigans with a girl. This was another one that I failed to give a chance when I first listened to this album years ago, and man do I regret it. Maybe it was because it was so different from the other tracks in how soft it was, but that’s exactly what draws me in now as I revisit it. After all the classic pop-punk, it’s nice to draw things to a relaxing close.
Horrorscope is an excellent album that stands out among the wave of early 2000s pop-punk, even with its occasional hiccups. My top three tracks are “Sunset Strip Bitch,” “Amphetamines,” and “Nightmare,” with an honorable mention going to “Rescue.” I only have one bottom-tier song this time, which is “Bang.”
Rating: 8.5/10
Feature Photo by Becca Fauteux