The band’s peculiar journey– a labyrinthine saga that’s taken them from high school talent shows to amphitheatre stages– has yielded a spectacular bounty in the sun struck pop perfection of their latest album, the Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World) produced THE BULL THE BALLOON AND THE FAMILY.
Reubens Accomplice has made a name for itself in recent years touring with the likes of Jimmy Eat World, Promise Ring, The Weakerthans and No Knife, and building a dedicated fan base throughout the U.S. The group’s 2001 full-length debut I Blame The Scenery (released on Los Angeles’ Better Looking Records) helped establish them as critical and cult faves.
In 2002 the group’s rhythm section, bassist Andy Eames and drummer Jim Knapp, departed the band for careers as a farmer and federal prosecutor, respectively. Unbowed by the loss, the newly reconstituted Reubens Accomplice entered the studio last spring with Jimmy Eat World mainman Jim Adkins to record their much-anticipated sophomore album, THE BULL THE BALLOON AND THE FAMILY.
The disc is an aptly titled affair as the band enlists several members of its extended “family” to aid in this impressive 13-song effort. Guests include producer Adkins, Howe Gelb (Giant Sand, Band of Blacky Ranchette), David Bazan (Pedro the Lion), Jon Rauhouse (Neko Case, Old 97s), as well as a talented crew of West Coast luminaries (Matt Maher, Ryan Kennedy, John O’Reilly Jr.).
Mixed by Chris Fudurich (Nada Surf, Matthew Sweet), THE BULL THE BALLOON AND THE FAMILY combines the plangent guitars and yearning, almost genetic harmonies of Bufano and Corak. The album is a mélange of urgent rock and bouncy pop, fantastically infectious anthems and haltingly emotive balladry.
Reubens Accomplice is the flagship act on the newly launched Western Tread Recordings. The imprint is an Arizona-based venture between Jim Adkins and Phoenix music impresario Charles Levy. Western Tread has already released titles from Jimmy Eat World (a vinyl reissue of 2001’s multi-platinum self-titled album and a vinyl version of the bands latest, "Futures") and the debut EP from Atlantic recording artists The Format.
This Town
Reubens Accomplice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And drop it off a notch
The bottom dropped
Out of your plans
And what are you going to do
When you find out
That everyone hates you
How it is I feel
I'm having trouble
Even keeping it real
You're messing around
You're playing games
You're talking shit
You're dropping names
Well you do it awfully
Yeah you do it awfully
Just remember that
(Chorus)
This town
Is bringing me down
Yeah this town
I can't hang around in
Arizona
Well everyone
Loves a drink
Nobody loves a drunk
Your boat set sail
A day later it sunk
Hush
Keep it on the down low
Charming, a great disguise
For you to hide
For you to hide
Who it is you really are
I can run away
But I'll never get far from
(Chorus)
You don't want to talk about it
Which just confirms you're completely full of shit
I've had my fill now I'm through with it
Well everybody knows what you're all about
And we don't want to hear your lies anymore
No this town doesn't need you around anymore
Anymore
(Chorus)
I laid the blame but nothing changed
The scenery
Remains the same
And what are you going to do
When you find out
That everyone hates you
Home sweet home
The song "This Town" by Reubens Accomplice is a commentary on the negative aspects of small-town life, particularly in Arizona. The song starts with the singer addressing someone who has recently experienced a setback, telling them to "take it down and drop it off a notch" since "the bottom dropped out of [their] plans." The singer then questions what the person is going to do when they find out that everyone hates them.
The second verse of the song is sung from the perspective of someone observing the person who is being addressed in the first verse. This observer notes that the person is "messing around" and "playing games," and spreading gossip about other people in the town. However, the observer suggests that the person is not fooling anyone, and that everyone knows what they are really like. The observer notes that while the person is trying to hide their true nature, they are "completely full of shit" and that they are not fooling anyone.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "this town is bringing me down," indicating that there is something about small-town life that is suffocating and oppressive. The song's lyrics suggest that people are judgmental and intolerant of those who do not fit in or conform to their standards. The song ultimately suggests that leaving the town might be the best course of action for those who cannot handle the pressure and negativity.
Line by Line Meaning
Well take it down
Let's calm down and relax
And drop it off a notch
Let's lower our intensity level
The bottom dropped
Your plans went horribly wrong
Out of your plans
Your plans are falling apart
And what are you going to do
How will you deal with this situation?
When you find out
Once you realize
That everyone hates you
Nobody likes you anymore
Well I don't know
I'm not sure
How it is I feel
I don't know how I feel exactly
I'm having trouble
I'm struggling
Even keeping it real
Being genuine is difficult
You're messing around
You're acting irresponsibly
You're playing games
You're being manipulative
You're talking shit
You're speaking badly of others
You're dropping names
You're using people's names to gain status
Well you do it awfully
You're extremely bad at it
Yeah you do it awfully
You do it really badly
Just remember that
Keep that in mind
This town
The environment around us
Is bringing me down
I'm feeling increasingly negative
Yeah this town
This place
I can't hang around in
I can't stay here anymore
Well everyone
All people
Loves a drink
Drinking is enjoyable
Nobody loves a drunk
Being excessively drunk is not attractive
Your boat set sail
You took off without a plan
A day later it sunk
You failed soon after leaving
Hush
Be quiet
Keep it on the down low
Keep it a secret
Charming, a great disguise
You put on an attractive facade
For you to hide
To conceal your true self
Who it is you really are
Your true personality
I can run away
I can try to escape
But I'll never get far from
But I'll always be affected by
You don't want to talk about it
You refuse to address the matter
Which just confirms you're completely full of shit
Your silence reveals you're being dishonest
I've had my fill now I'm through with it
I'm fed up and moving on
Well everybody knows what you're all about
Your true intentions are apparent
And we don't want to hear your lies anymore
We're tired of your deceit
No this town doesn't need you around anymore
This environment is better off without you
I laid the blame but nothing changed
I held you responsible but things didn't improve
The scenery
The surrounding environment
Remains the same
Is still identical
Home sweet home
The feeling of nostalgia towards home
Contributed by Harper S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Adam Bliven
Great album and this town a great song!
Almost SOON
I know right
ACVRG
Mesa, Arizona?
Almost SOON
Right here!!