Maylene and the Sons of Disaster's II was released on Ferret Records nationwide on March 20, 2007.
Maylene's third album, III, was released on June 23, 2009. The song Just a Shock was released to the band's MySpace page on May 11th, 2009. III debuted at #71 on the Billboard 200.
Dallas Taylor is the most notable member of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. He was the original vocalist for the metalcore/post-hardcore band Underoath until late 2003.
The band name and concept are based on the legend of the criminal gang of Ma Barker and her sons, noting that evil lifestyles will be met with "divine justice".
Maylene's current roster is:
Dallas Taylor - Vocals
Roman Haviland - Bass
Kelly Scott Nunn - Guitar
Matt Clark - Drums
Chad Huff - Guitar
Jake Duncan - Guitar
and former members include:
Scott Collum - Guitar (2004 - 2008)
Josh Cornutt - Guitar (2004 - 2008)
Josh Williams - Guitar (2005 - 2008)
Lee Turner - Drums (2004-2008)
Although there have been many reports of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster being a Christian band, there is little to no evidence in their lyrics, and Dallas Taylor has been noted in a 2006 interview that "Maylene and Christianity are children of two entirely separate mothers."
In late 2007, he was also reported to have said that "just because [he] was formerly involved with a Christian band (referring to Underoath), it doesn't explicitly make our band a Christian band. We know that many of our fans are Christians, and that's fine, but we as a band in no way endorse the philosophies taught by today's Christian church." Dallas has been quoted saying "For us, faith is what makes us.", noting that members of the band may be Christians, and their faith may motivate them to do what they do, but Maylene is not an evangelical Christian band.
Plenty Strong And Plenty Wrong
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm just another walking dead.
Deadlines tell me to write
and it feels so cold at home.
Everyone has learned to live without me
I'm feeling second place
This hole is right where it needs to be
It's just a little kink in the year...
This isn't what I expected always letting you down
I can't remember that wrong turn
Try not to feel it, cause I know I'm your mistake
Those excuses are hiding us.
I'm feeling second place
This hole is right where it needs to be
It's not a static pace
It's just a little kink, just a little kink
Don't bother askin' where I've been,
Or expect me to go back again
Those memories never were...
I'm feeling second place
This hole is right where it needs to be
It's not a static pace
Just a little kink, just a little kink
The lyrics to Maylene and the Sons of Disaster's song "Plenty Strong And Plenty Wrong" explore themes of isolation, feeling like an outsider and the difficulty of coming back after being away for a long time. The singer in the song is struggling to adjust to being back home after an extended period of absence. Despite feeling disconnected from those around them, the singer feels pressure to write and create, but is struggling to find inspiration. They feel like they are just going through the motions and are unsure of their place in the world.
The chorus of the song, with its repeated refrain of "I'm feeling second place, this hole is right where it needs to be, it's not a static pace, it's just a little kink," reinforces the sense of displacement and disconnection the singer is experiencing. They feel like they are not measuring up, that they are somehow less than those around them, and that they are constantly falling short of expectations.
The final verse of the song is particularly poignant, as the singer acknowledges that they cannot go back to where they were before. They cannot recapture the memories of the past, and they must move forward, even if it means leaving things behind. The song is a powerful exploration of the difficulties of finding one's place in the world, and the toll that isolation and disconnection can take on a person.
Line by Line Meaning
Coming back after a long time gone.
Returning after being away for a long time.
I'm just another walking dead.
I feel lifeless and empty inside.
Deadlines tell me to write
I am reminded of my responsibilities to write by deadlines.
and it feels so cold at home.
Being at home feels empty and isolating.
Everyone has learned to live without me
People have adapted to my absence and no longer rely on me.
I'm feeling second place
I feel like I am less important or valued than others.
This hole is right where it needs to be
My emptiness or sadness is in the right place or expected.
It's not a static pace
Things are not always constant or predictable.
It's just a little kink in the year...
My struggles or issues are just a minor blip in the grand scheme of things.
This isn't what I expected always letting you down
I am disappointed in myself for constantly disappointing others.
I can't remember that wrong turn
I can't pinpoint exactly where things went wrong.
Try not to feel it, cause I know I'm your mistake
I try to avoid acknowledging my mistakes and how they affect others.
Those excuses are hiding us.
My excuses are a way to avoid confronting the real issues in my relationships.
Don't bother askin' where I've been,
I don't want to explain or confront my absence.
Or expect me to go back again
I am resistant to returning to the way things were or fixing past mistakes.
Those memories never were...
My past experiences were not as good or important as they may have seemed.
Just a little kink, just a little kink
My current struggles or issues are just a minor disturbance in the scheme of things.
Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.