“The music is refined and potent. These songs will stick in your head. They will make you move. They aren't cock rock, they aren't stadium rock, they are super-garage rock, vibrant and fiery. ” (Nate Ragolia, 2012).Vices I Admire is an alternative rock band from Denver, CO. Formed in 2002 in Fort Collins, CO originally under the name Plan B. The current lineup is Dave Curtis (vocals, guitar; 2002-present), Dan Battenhouse (bass, vocals; 2009-present) and Alex Simpson (drums, vocals; 2012-present); for performances, a second-guitarist spot is filled by various musicians, the most recent being Scott Uhl (of Glass Delirium).
Original members included: Curtis, Robert Marston (bass, 2002-2007), Mickey Dollar (guitar, 2002-2012) and Mark Towne (drums, 2002-2012). Marston was replaced by Dan Battenhouse (formerly of the Fray) in 2009. Dollar and Towne left the band in 2012 and were replaced by Alex Simpson (drums) and Tavis Alley (guitar) later that same year. Alley left Vices I Admire in 2013 and the band continued on as a 3-piece.
Vices' music is an amalgam of various influences and – though, decidedly rock – nods to hip hop, folk and funk. They have been compared to Panic! At The Disco, Foo Fighters, Foxy Shazam, Candlebox, Incubus, My Chemical Romance, The Matches, Queens of the Stone Age, AFI and even Prince. Their songs are generally guitar-driven, but also feature unusually melodic bass lines and colorful drum work. However, the defining sound of Vices throughout its various lineups are the personal – often cryptic – lyrics and vocal gymnastics of front man, Curtis.
Vices released their first album, Plan B. in 2005 – they changed their name to Vices I Admire in conjunction with the release and titled the album in honor of their original name. The album draws heavily from the nu-metal scene and bands like Deftones and System of a Down. “Monster”, the first single from Plan B., is traditionally used to close Vices' sets – as such, it is one of their most well-known songs, second only to “Sweetest Girl” (from their sophomore effort, The Politics of Apathy). The second single from Plan B., “By the Way”, won $5,000 in a contest run by OurStage.com (2007), is featured on the punk-rock compilation, Dagger Sight Records Volume II, and is the backing track to NFMan Productions' short film, Wedding Day.
Their sophomore effort, The Politics of Apathy was released in 2010. The album was well-received by local press and fans alike. Though it did present a departure from their original sound; where Plan B. was raw, fast and angry, ...Politics... was oftentimes reserved and thoughtful and more refined. Songs like “Kiss Kiss” and “Keep Killin' Me” maintained the band's tendency toward the heavier end of the rock spectrum; while the dramatic, piano-and-vocals piece, “Denouement: An Intermezzo” and the heart-achingly honest indie-rocker, “It Is” showcased a more adult and mindful writing style.
"The new album, The Politics of Apathy, from Vices I Admire, is a nine-song combination of two of my very favorite things: an array of different styles when the band can do it right, and raw, in-your-face lyrics."
- Steffanie Giesler, Colorado Music Buzz (Jan 01, 2010)
"...a great mix of precise musicianship, very emotional and polished vocals, well written lyrics, and sonic colors from many places in the musical rainbow."
- James (JJ Rocks) Johnston, St Croix Music (Jan 01, 2010)
The first single from ...Politics..., “Sweetest Girl” is the band's most lauded track. In April, 2010, it won a competition from WeAreListening.org which granted the band 3 months of distribution through Tinderbox Music. The track went on to be placed in MTV's “The Real World: Las Vegas” and on the Oxygen Network's “Bad Girls Club”. It also earned top spins on many college radio charts that year and has been featured on several compilation albums.
Vices' third album, Venom & Pride marked yet another change in Vices' musical style. Preceding the departure of two of the groups' founding members, Mark Towne and Mickey Dollar, it is a darker and more stylistically intricate work.
"Vices I Admire is but a humble group of four Denverites, who are slowly pushing their way through Shit Creek with a paddle made of pure Rock. Their new EP, Venom and Pride, is a 15-minute dash over white-water rapids and razor sharp rocks. It’s fast, it’s crazy, it’s fun." - Harley Patton, Indie Music Reviewer (Mar 02, 2012)
Vices fourth album, Fables (May, 2013) was the first album recorded and produced entirely by the band.
Poor Boy
Vices I Admire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The better off you'll be
Keep your head under my pain is illogical like sane for me
You gave her more
This easy word
Is more than a sword
Kept your head under my pain is so illogical
Like how I'll be "reborn"
"reborn"?
Fortune make me your whore
Fortune give me your scars
Fortune fuck me like I've been begging
Fortune build me a world
Fortune make me your girl
Fortune fuck me like you could save me
You will like it all ways
How your head responds to our pain
For this simple reason I'll make more warmth for folded hands to hold
Kept in my pocket just the same: for shame
You gave her more
(than love could afford)
This easy word
(is more than a sword)
Keep your head under my pain
It's illogical like reborn
Reborn
Fortune make me your whore
Fortune give me your scars
Fortune fuck me like I've been begging
Fortune make me your girl
Fortune build me a world
Fortune fuck me like you could save me
(c'mon fortune, fuck me)
Little boy
Rape
"no" means more
Rape
The poor boy
Fortune build me a world, fortune give me your scars, it's love at least once picken
I'll be your boy for sure, I'll scream til' hoarse, c'mon fortune, fuck me
I'm reborn
The song "Poor Boy" by Vices I Admire seems to be about someone who is willing to do anything for fortune, including sacrificing their own well-being and falling into an illogical mindset. The lyrics suggest that ignorance is bliss when it comes to dealing with pain - the less you know, the better off you'll be. The singer of the song acknowledges that they are willingly keeping their head under their pain, as if it were logical to do so. The song also touches on the idea of love and how it can sometimes be more harmful than a sword, indicating that love can hurt more than physical harm.
The chorus seems to be a call to fortune, begging for scars and pain to be inflicted upon them - almost as if the singer is masochistic. The repeated line of "Fortune, fuck me like you could save me" suggests that the singer is seeking some kind of salvation or redemption through this destructive behavior. The final lines of the song, "I'll be your boy for sure, I'll scream til' hoarse, c'mon fortune, fuck me, I'm reborn" seem to indicate that the singer is willing to do anything to start anew, even if it means beginning from a place of pain and suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
The less you know
Having less knowledge can be beneficial
The better off you'll be
It can lead to greater advantages
Keep your head under my pain is illogical like sane for me
Ignoring and suppressing the pain is irrational and unreasonable to me
You gave her more
You provided her with more
Than love could afford,
More than what love could sustain
This easy word
The word 'love'
Is more than a sword
It has greater power and impact than a weapon
Kept your head under my pain is so illogical
Suppressing your own pain is irrational
Like how I'll be 'reborn'
I'll experience a spiritual rebirth
Fortune make me your whore
I want success and wealth even if it comes at a cost
Fortune give me your scars
I'm willing to endure pain and suffering for success and wealth
Fortune fuck me like I've been begging
I'm desperate for success and wealth
Fortune build me a world
I want to create a world of my own
Fortune make me your girl
I want to be controlled by fortune and gain her favor
Fortune fuck me like you could save me
I believe success and wealth can solve all my problems
You will like it all ways
You'll enjoy it no matter how it comes
How your head responds to our pain
Your reaction to our pain
For this simple reason I'll make more warmth for folded hands to hold
I'll provide more love and care to those in need
Kept in my pocket just the same: for shame
I keep my generosity hidden to avoid embarrassment
Little boy
Innocent child
Rape
Sexual assault
"no" means more
The word 'no' carries greater weight and importance
The poor boy
The vulnerable child
Fortune build me a world, fortune give me your scars, it's love at least once picken
I'll do anything for success and wealth, including enduring pain and suffering, because I believe it's worth it for love
I'll be your boy for sure, I'll scream til' hoarse, c'mon fortune, fuck me
I'll do anything for success and wealth, even if it means sacrificing myself and begging for it
I'm reborn
I feel like I have a new beginning and outlook on life
Contributed by Emily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.