Frontman JUSTIN PIERRE tells the stories behind each song on FAREWELL CONTINENTAL’s debut album.

Before I begin, let me state that this band work under an extreme amount of duress—which is to say, in order to fit it within the confines of our limited availabilities, we have no choice but to try not to think about what we do; rather, we just let it happen. That being said, music is often created by some and sent to others over a brief period in which everyone takes a crack at it on their own. We then show up at the studio with anywhere from well thought-out ideas to no ideas at all and just hammer it out in as few takes as possible, embracing "mistakes" along the way. The lyrics are usually written by the time we get into the studio, but [singer] Kari Gray’s voice is very different from mine, and often my melodies don't work for her because they’re either too high or low. So there is a lot of scrambling and rewriting in that department. By the time we leave the studio, we’re thoroughly confused and wondering what the hell just happened. Our trusty producer, Ed Ackerson, always assures us everything is top-notch and once we hear his mixes, we absolutely concur. It should also be noted that we recorded this album over the course of several years in three to four separate sessions, so I'll just make up any details I can't quite remember.  

“Seasoned Veterans”
I think this song may be about the frustrations of daily living and the unfortunate idea that observable information can change your particular course for betterment. Hope is a great thing, but when ego is involved, it tends to mar the outcome. My favorite thing about this song is the small excerpts from a handheld recorder I used to carry around in the '90s and record conversations with. If you listen carefully, you can hear me talking about E.T. at one point.

“Capybara”
I think this song may be about the horrors of being apart from the person who causes you the most emotional harm. It's like you're so addicted to the “fucked-upedness” of the situation that it becomes impossible to imagine a life without them.  On the other hand, it could also be about everybody's favorite South American fuzz buckets. Tommy [Rehbein, guitar] had one rule for this: There should be no discernible guitar parts for the choruses. He wanted the bass to carry the tune while he banged away on various guitars with scissors and screwdrivers. Oh, and he also played a video game as one of his parts.

“Who’s The Boss?”
I think this song may be about the battle of the sexes. We're all big fans of that whole '80s woman vs. man sitcom plot: Who's The Boss?, Roseanne, Married With Children, Kramer Vs. Kramer, etc...  I think this was one of the few songs we all wrote together in an actual practice space. It’s our most rock-like song and a fun one to play. 

“The Greatest Of All Time (How You Feelin’ Now?)”
I think this song may be about a husband and wife separated by World War II. She went into the factory, and he went into the trenches.  Somehow, something went terribly wrong and she was forced to move on as he struggled to get back to her with a bullet lodged in his brain, which caused hallucinatory episodes that displaced him in time. If we ever made a video with real money for this song, I imagine it being a cross between Dancer In The Dark and Paths Of Glory. This one was written by the rhythm section [bassist Jim Adolphson and drummer Josh McKay] and Tommy and then sent it to Kari and me for approval. We approved. 

“Dagger, Dagger: Terror, Terror”
I think this song may be about the little voices in your head that tell you negative things over an extended period of time, leading eventually to a decision you must make between choosing life or death. This was another song I received from the band while on the road and simply slapped words and melody on it.  Nice job, lady and gents! 

“A Story From The Bottom Of The Sea” 
I think this song may be about I dream I once had. This song was sent to me as well, but really came together in the studio. We went nuts with Ed's gadgetry making strange sounds and I used several different voices to give it that old schizophrenic feel. At one point, I told Ed I was going for [sounding like] Ian Curtis or David Bowie. He said I sounded more like Tom Jones. But that's what makes his producing style so great. He beats you into submission and then directs you like a puppet.

“Immolated” 
I think this song may be about the darkness that lurks within certain people, and their inability to deal with the human race in a way that is not entirely ridiculous and/or completely off-putting. This is my favorite song on the record. I came up with the guitar parts, melody and structure almost instantaneously, and it’s a rare occasion when that sort of late-night magic happens. Obviously, everyone wrote their own parts, but I still reserve the right to call this one mine, 'cause I don’t give a fuck about shit!

“New Tile Floor” 
I think this song may be about a love affair between two humans, their alcohol and carpentry tools. The original idea for this song was written around 2004 in a hotel room in Japan. It was one of many ideas that didn't seem to create any buzz at the time and was shelved for six years. Luckily, it resonated with Tommy, and he came up with a chorus for it. It’s definitely our most danceable number.

“Radio, Radio: Are You Getting This?”
I think this song may be about the sense of entitlement every stupid fuckshow on the planet thinks they have. The lovely Mary Lucia of our local radio station 89.3 The Current was gracious enough to come in and guest DJ on the track for us. Everyone has guest singers, but no one has guest DJs. This is going to be a new trend. Remember who did it first.

“The Explorer Settles Down”
I think this song may be about a person who was once optimistic and naïve, but has now lost their way due to the destructive nature and cruelty of the human race. Tommy had his friend Shawn from Loud Button Electronics build him a pedal that would replicate the sound of lasers. It's called a WTF pedal. It’s used prominently on this track. Also, the Pterodactyl, grief-stricken, can be heard wailing in despair.

“Mad Operator” 
I think this song may be about a really smart girl and her faulty science experiment, and the boy who loves her but is simultaneously afraid of her. Originally, I wanted Kari and I to sing a lot more equally, but I kind of took over 'cause I'm a bully. This one is hers though. Gang vocals are always fun. The WTF returns. Post-rock apologies for my shitty playing, but the feeling was right even if the notes were not.

“I Feel Everything (Can You Feel It As Well?)”
I think this song may be about simply letting life happen and not getting in the way of the experience. This was the brainchild of Tommy and his various keyboards and nuts noises. We dumped the song from his four-track into our session with Ed and slapped the bare minimum of items needed—mainly drums and vocals. This is going to be a fun one to play live. Don't think about the words, just let the feeling overtake you.

“The Reflecting Skin”
I think this song may be about fucking. Then again, it could be about love. It’s sort of a personal apology to the humans I've harmed during the filming of my life. After hearing Ed's wicked mix of this song, I realized that we were actually a real band. This song is as real as we get. Again, this was all FC minus me. I supplied vocals and melody. The kids were on fire the day they wrote this.

“Tiger Claw”
I think this song may be a Pavement rip-off. Hopefully, this is as derivative as I'll ever get. I really dig the instrumentation of this song. Everyone is playing really ridiculous and sloppy shit, but somehow it all works out. It reminds me of the early '90s, when bands like Mercury Rev, the Flaming Lips and Medicine could make noise with a melody over it and call it a song. alt