As impossible as it sounds, Bassist Steve Mungarro explains, "Our brothers, sisters and cousins were listening to bands like The Cure and Depeche Mode so we never knew any different." They grew up playing in bands in their friends’ garages’ mimicking the sounds that they loved so much. Vocalist/gtr Joey Medina concurs, “Even though it’s sunny and hot in L.A. we grew up in a lower income,industrial city that is probably not that different than a Manchester or Birmingham in England. It’s no Beverly Hills and sometimes it could be a rough town.”
So maybe it’s the impossibility of finding four Mexican-American childhood friends who grew up in South Gate obsessing over synth pop and post punk groups of the 80s that made The Tender Box an almost immediate hit in Hollywood. Los Angeles had a small yet cultish scene of devout anglophile music fans and The Tender Box boys were at the forefront of the new Indie scene. The lush and despairing decadence of Britpop appealed to their sensibilities and their own personal histories.
Henceforth, The Tender Box would continue to immerse themselves in a veritable fusion of musical tastes and seemingly disparate cultures. They fine-tuned their recipe for success blending the two worlds effortlessly. After getting the right batch of songs together, the guys hit the club circuit up and down the west coast. People undoubtedly noticed. They have headlined hipster hot spot Café Bleu, been praised by L.A.’s legendary D.J. Rodney Bingenheimer on his "Rodney On The ‘Roq" radio show, been frequently spun on Indie 103.1 and Sirius Radio and have even landed a primo licensing spot on a Canadian Chevy commercial which featured their song “Mister Sister” – all before signing a record deal.
"That was crazy. A lot of shit was happening really fast, one week we were playing our fuckin asses off in front of ten people and the next week Rodney is playing us on KROQ. When we heard our track on his show, it made you feel like you've accomplished your goal", bassist Steve Mungarro notes.
As the band continued to pound the pavement in the L.A., Beverly Martel Music came on board and the quartet went back into Swing House studios with British producer Warren Huart (Hot Hot Heat, The Thrills) to record their debut album. The finished product titled The Score is a prime example of musical synthesis, creating a veritable Brit Pop masterpiece with catchy choruses, broody dance beats, latin rhythms and a special breed of South East LA angst that only The Tender Box could conjure. From “Mister Sister,” a dance cut that conjures up sentiments of Pulp and Suede to the Primal Scream-esque title track, The Tender Box have a sound destined for Brit pop enthusiasts and very sweaty dance clubs.
Their full album The Score can now be found on iTunes through Beverly Martel Music/Swing House Quality Recordings. In the summer of 2006 U.K. label, So Sweet Records will be releasing album track, "Mister Sister," as a limited edition single. To help celebrate the single's release, the boys will be heading overseas to play their first string of British dates.
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www.myspace.com/tenderbox
www.myspace.com/beverlymartelmusic
Crashing Down
The Tender Box Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pride with lust consumed by vanity
You're here to kill all through me baby
You're here to kill all through me baby
Oooohh show your face to me
All my world is crashing down around me, inside me
Yheaa...
Prayed for sins to fade and wash away
On my knees ever faded far to me
Any plead for grace to come to me
Yheeaa...
All the things I wanted to say are coming down through my way
Leaving me with nothing
All the things I wanted to do and all I don't want to lose
Are taking for me
All my world is crashing down around me, inside me
Crumbling skies and words go high destined unfeeling
All my world is crashing down around me, inside me
Bloodshot eyes and words go high destined unfeeling
Yheeaaa...
You're here to kill all through me baby
You're here to kill all through me baby
You're here to kill all through me baby
All my world is crashing down around me, inside me
Crumbling skies and words go high destined unfeeling
All my world is crashing down around me, inside me
Bloodshot eyes and words go high destined unfeeling
Yheaaa...
Oooohhh...
The lyrics of The Tender Box's song Crashing Down depict the feeling of a person who took for granted the important things in life such as love, liberty, pride, and lust, and realizes the consequences of his actions. He apparently had a self-absorbed personality consumed by vanity, causing him to lose sight of what truly matters. The lines "All the things I wanted to say are coming down through my way" suggest that he is now facing the effects of his choices, and he has nothing left to say.
The chorus, "All my world is crashing down around me, inside me, crumbling skies and words go high destined unfeeling" reveals that his world is falling apart, both internally and externally. The person is deeply affected by his mistakes and has a bloodshot gaze, meaning he has been struggling with the intensity of his situation. The repetition of the line "You're here to kill all through me baby" emphasizes how his choices have caused his undoing.
Overall, the song carries an emotional weight with an emphasis on the importance of love and morality. It reminds listeners not to take the basic things in life for granted but rather cherish and value them.
Line by Line Meaning
I took for granted love and liberty
I've had love and freedom for so long that I never appreciated how valuable they were
Pride with lust consumed by vanity
My self-importance and desire for pleasure made me blind to the needs of others
You're here to kill all through me baby
You're destroying me from the inside out
Oooohh show your face to me
I'm desperate to see the truth behind your actions
All my world is crashing down around me, inside me
My entire life is falling apart and I can't escape my own thoughts and feelings
Crumbling skies and words go high destined unfeeling
Even the sky and my own words seem to be against me, leaving me numb to everything
Prayed for sins to fade and wash away
I hoped that my mistakes and regrets would disappear over time
On my knees ever faded far to me
I feel distant and disconnected from my own spirituality
Any plead for grace to come to me
I'm begging for forgiveness and redemption
All the things I wanted to say are coming down through my way
Everything I wanted to express is now overwhelming me with its weight and significance
Leaving me with nothing
I feel like I have nothing left to give or to gain
All the things I wanted to do and all I don't want to lose
My desires and fears are in conflict with each other
Are taking for me
My circumstances are beyond my control
Bloodshot eyes and words go high destined unfeeling
Even my emotions and words seem to be out of my control, leaving me feeling empty
You're here to kill all through me baby
You're causing me to self-destruct, both emotionally and physically
Oooohhh...
A cry of desperation and despair
Writer(s): Raul Martinez, Carlos Gil, Steven Mungarro, Jose Medina
Contributed by James W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ägare M.
This band is so fucking underrated. Love the sound you guys have.
JorluSF303
que mal que no tuvo tanto exito porque en serio que se lo merecen
Aquiles Castro Olesdoy
Se han ganado un fan en mexico :u, me encanto esta y las demas canciones like:3
lainkin
Ya más de 3 años que escuche una canción de ustedes, esperamos más desde México!!
Soul Stealer
Saw them several years ago at the viper room. They opened for Imagine Dragons and south African band Parlotones. It was a great gig and Imagine Dragons was so loud my ears rang for days. But the Tender box were fantastic.
gt1937
Awesome band. This is a great song. Check out their earlier song Mister Sister, that is one rockn' song!
Mike ---
The Tender Box it's a very good band, but I think is very underrated, to find the song "Media Lies" in Ares I had to wait like 2 hours and actually that song isn't at youtube. They should be more popular in my opinion. By the way the song is awesome.
mariana resendiz
guys are amazing i love the song
Curry Berry
Wow they sang spectacular Spider-Man? Cool!
Silver Crow
i thought they were gonna sound more garage rock like they did with the spider-man intro