March on Electric Children

March on Electric Children is the second studio album by the American post-hardcore band The Blood Brothers, released in February 2002. Produced by Matt Bayles, the album (which is described in the liner notes as a "short story set to music") was recorded in one week[3] on a $3000 budget[4] and has been described by singer Jordan Blilie as "crazier" and "more complex" than the band's previous effort, This Adultery Is Ripe.[5]

March on Electric Children
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 25, 2002
GenrePost-hardcore
Length24:38
LabelThree One G
Epitaph (reissue)
ProducerMatt Bayles
The Blood Brothers chronology
This Adultery Is Ripe
(2000)
March on Electric Children
(2002)
...Burn, Piano Island, Burn
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Stylus MagazineA−[2]

Concept album

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The album has been described by numerous critics as a concept album, with its characters portrayed more as villains and victims than as heroes. The effort was an attempt by the band to create a storyline with repeating characters that has a bleak outlook on life, emphasizing the consequences of the characters' selfish choices. A common motif utilized throughout the album is the ocean and sea creatures, which was a result of vocalist Johnny Whitney taking an oceanography class during the album's production.[6] The album marks additions to the band's songwriting tools. For example, "Kiss of the Octopus" samples "The Perfect Drug" by Nine Inch Nails,[7] and the piano acts as the sole instrument played on "American Vultures".[8] It is also the conclusion to the storyline and wraps up the themes featured in the previous songs. Says singer Jordan Blilie:

Basically what we had in mind was that we wanted to focus on what happens when a person lives a life devoid of any real meaning. These are people that lead a very empty superficial existence where motives are completely selfish and empty, and what happens as a result of that choice.

— Jordan Blilie in an interview with webzine bettawreckonize.com[3]

Characters

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  • Mr. Electric Ocean - "the personification of the media and exploitation and superficiality... the person that influences the protagonist during the entire record"
  • The Skin Army - "a representation of our culture as completely superficial and concerned with the exterior, skin, and what is on the outside"

Track listing

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All tracks are written by The Blood Brothers

No.TitleLength
1."Birth Skin/Death Leather"1:43
2."Meet Me at the Water Front After the Social"2:46
3."March on Electric Children!"3:03
4."New York Slave"2:44
5."Kiss of the Octopus"2:39
6."Siamese Gun"3:21
7."Mr. Electric Ocean"2:16
8."Junkyard J. vs. the Skin Army Girlz/High Fives, LA Hives"2:57
9."American Vultures"3:27

Personnel

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The Blood Brothers
Production and design
  • Matt Bayles - producer, engineer, mixer
  • The Blood Brothers - co-producer
  • Troy T - assistant engineer
  • Ed B - mastering
  • Dan Dean - layout concept, design, photographs, art
  • Morgan Henderson - layout concept, design, photographs, art
  • Jeffrey Degolier - photographs, art

Release history

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Region Date Label Format Catalog Additional Notes
United States 2002 Three One G CD Three One G 21
LP Pressed on black vinyl and clear with black splatters, the latter an edition of 500. A picture disc edition was also issued in quantities of 2500 copies.
2009 Epitaph Records CD 87056-2

References

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  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ "The Blood Brothers - March on Electric Children - Review - Stylus Magazine". www.stylusmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b n/a. "Leader of the Pack (Interview with the Blood Brothers)". bettawreckonize.com. BettaWreckonize. Archived from the original on 2007-10-27. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  4. ^ Robertshaw, Steven (2005-10-13). "The Blood Brothers: The Death of Hardcore". altpress.com. Alt Press. Archived from the original on 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2018-08-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Lindsay, Cam (2003-09-01). "Interview: The Blood Brothers (Jordan Billie)". stylusmagazine.com. Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-01-17. Retrieved 2018-08-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Ozzi, Dan (2015-04-07). "Rank Your Records: The Blood Brothers' Jordan Blilie Rates the Band's Five Eccentric Albums". noisey.vice.com. Vice. Retrieved 2018-08-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Ott, Chris (March 24, 2003). "The Blood Brothers: Burn Piano Island, Burn!". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 19, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  8. ^ Diver, Mike (2006-03-15). "ReDIScover: The Blood Brothers". drownedinsound.com/. Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 2018-08-22. Retrieved 2018-08-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)