FLAWS

( 2021 )

Information

INFORMATION: Mad Dogs' fourth studio album, three #1 hits, platinum. A controversial album, as the overall mood is rather angry for their usual content. Critics/fans fiercely debated whether or not it was a good or bad move for the band. Reflects their growing exhaustion and frustration with fame. Ultimately, the album that made them decide their next album would also be their last.

Track Listing

"Sneak Attack" || 2:47 || Lyrics by Lucas Friar and Dave Williams. Zay takes lead vocals. A strong set-up for the overall sound of the album, the track goes zero to one hundred right from the get-go with a rambunctious, loud rock vibe. One guitar solo. Lyrical focus on how things can go from fine to terrible in the blink of an eye. The track ends with each band member falling out of the song abruptly until it's just Dave riffing alone.

TRIVIA: Dave was inspired to write the song when his father suddenly passed away, throwing a wrench into his otherwise pretty successful life. A good set-up for the turbulent emotions present on the remainder of the album.

"Wolves Eat Sheep" || 4:04 || Lyrics by Lucas Friar. Zay takes lead vocals. A monotone track with talky verses and a chorus that's heavily instrumental. Intentionally grating to listen to more than once in a row (not a song you'd put on repeat). Focus on spoofing the mentality of "dog eat dog," how draining and vicious the industry can be and how you can't afford to be soft or the media and fans will eat you alive.

TRIVIA: Critics panned the track for being so unpleasant to listen to, but Farkle and Lucas didn't care much as that was exactly the point. Josh Matthews raves about it in his review.

"Hypothesis" || 3:43 || Chart-Topper || Lyrics by Lucas Friar and Farkle Minkus. Zay takes lead vocals. Farkle harmonizes. An alternative, moody sound with heavy bass. Focus on trying to figure what exactly the difference between casual feelings and deeper love actually is. An overall mood of doubt and uncertainty. One bass solo.

TRIVIA: Farkle debated not including it on the album, as he didn't want fans to get the impression he was insecure in his relationship with Isadora. Lucas and Zay ultimately convince him to go through with it.

"She Don't Like Me (feat. Maya Hart)" || 4:13 || Released as Single || Lyrics by Lucas Friar and Riley Matthews. Zay and Maya Hart share lead vocals. A quiet, sultry beat that launches into loud, harsh rock and roll during the chorus. Focus on the needless hate of the world, how people judge each other for petty things and there's literally nothing you can do to stop them.

TRIVIA: Riley penned most of the song after the experience she had with Mad Dogs fans when her relationship with Lucas was brought to the media's attention.

"Tombstone" || 2:50 || Lyrics by Lucas Friar. Zay takes lead vocals. Harsh, quick punk rock track that is a tad overwhelming. Non-sensical lyrics calling back to childhood memories, but unpleasant ones with dark undertones. The bitter, unpleasant tone is amplified by the suffocating quality of the music.

TRIVIA: The main focus of the childhood memories, and the title of the song, refers to the bull-riding incident Lucas got into when he was fourteen that nearly killed him. The others included childhood memories for him to reference as well. There is a haunting quality to those moments from childhood that maybe didn't seem so impactful at the time, but when looking back on them reflect a serious brush with mortality.

"Freakface" || 4:02 || Lyrics by Lucas Friar. Zay takes lead vocals. Farkle and Dave harmonize. Broody, indie rock sound. One guitar solo, one drum solo. Focus on how there's truly no way to win in this industry, even being pretty can't get you out of everything. Another track targeting the hateful nature of the business.

TRIVIA: One of the first tracks where Lucas openly takes an introspective look at his own insecurities.

"Creepy Creep Creep" || 3:13 || Lyrics by Lucas Friar and Dave Williams. Zay takes lead vocals. Dave harmonizes, slightly off-key. An eerie, bass heavy track. A story song focusing on a leering, obsessive voyeur who loves to watch people through a very broken lens. The song ends by fading to crackling, like an old record spinning, before scratching and going off.

TRIVIA: Many fans were offended by the message of the song, as it was interpreted that the song was a call-out towards fans who displayed such behavior towards them. The boys never denied these rumors.

"Triangle (feat. Maya Hart)" || 4:01||Lyrics by Lucas Friar. Maya Hart takes lead vocals. Zay and Farkle harmonize. A grungy, moody track with a heavy drum line. Indirect, confusing lyrics that tackle the falsification of relationships in the media and how rumors are simply rumors. Possibly the most openly angry track on the album.

TRIVIA: The song was a rather pointed message to the fans who were harassing Riley from both Lucas and Maya to leave her alone. Everyone in the band was growing tired of the rumors that Lucas and Maya were secretly a couple that had been brewing since the mystery muse days.

"Boo La La Loo" || 7:52 || Lyrics by Farkle Minkus. Farkle takes lead vocals. Zay and Dave harmonize. Limited lyrics, non-sensical drivel about trying to describe what exactly love feels like before launching into lengthy, complex bits of rock and roll. Pink Floyd vibes. Three guitar solos, one bass solo.

TRIVIA: The Center of the Universe and Farkle Time of the album. A tour-de-force of instrumental experimentation that Farkle is becoming well-known for. Farkle is often asked in interviews to say "boo la la loo" out loud so people know what it sounds like. He always refuses.

"Available" || 5:03 || Chart-Topper || Lyrics by Lucas Friar and Zay Babineaux. Zay takes lead vocals. The third of Zay's R&B solos, combining soulful sound with another introspective rap interlude. The verses and chorus focus on how often and anxiously we make pieces of ourselves available for public consumption, giving away so much of ourselves that we lose who we are in the process. The rap dives into the contradictions of being physically and emotionally available at different times, and how one cannot be fulfilling without the other.

TRIVIA: Although many speculated that this track was about a new flame Zay had brewing, he admits it's more about his relationship with the industry and how he felt he had to portray himself for a majority of his time in the spotlight.

"Nothing" || 3:46 || Lyrics by Lucas Friar and Farkle Minkus. Zay takes lead vocals. A moody, bass heavy track with a frustrated, angry tone. Focus on feeling as though you have nothing to offer the world even when it seems the entire world is screaming praise and admiration. A rather dark, introspective track.

TRIVIA: One of the only tracks to actually highlight the mental turmoil fame put Lucas and Farkle through, in similar yet individual ways. Despite all the love and adoration they received from fans and critics alike, they still felt empty as though none of it mattered. A big indication as to why the band ended up deciding to call it quits.

"Forget About Her (I Will Never)" || 4:28 || Lyrics by Lucas Friar. Zay takes lead vocals. An acoustic, softer piece, just Zay and a piano. Focus on how the entire world can turn on you and tell you to get out of a relationship, that you'd be better off with someone else, but knowing you're where you need to be and that you'll love the object of your affection regardless of whatever everyone else says. The only softer, sweeter track on the album.

TRIVIA: Written as a direct response to the media and fans claiming that Lucas could do better than Riley and that he should dump her. Very purposefully placed immediately after Nothing to highlight the impact she has on him.

"Own This Place" || 3:40 || Chart-Topper || Released as Single ||Lyrics by Lucas Friar and Dave Williams. Zay takes lead vocals. A return to their usual vibe, an upbeat, bouncy rock sound. Two guitar solos. Lyrical focus about how even when the world is falling apart around you, if you act as though you've got everything under control you'll get by. A stand-alone optimistic ending on an otherwise moody, depressing album.

TRIVIA: Some music pundits speculate the track was actually written at an earlier time for a different album and just placed on this one to fill up space. In actuality, it reflects the overall optimistic nature of the band that even in this difficult, tumultuous period of their lives, they could look towards the future with bright eyes.