Ataris’ strength lies in lyrics

The Ataris’ new CD “So Long, Astoria” isn’t your normal punk-rock CD. It isn’t cluttered with whining, overemotional lyrics. Rather its simplistic yet contemplative lyrics allow you to enjoy their music and its meaning.

This 45-minute CD also covers subjects other than love, unrequited or otherwise. Their songs actually make you think. Whether they be deep thoughts, isn’t important, the point is that you won’t be sitting there listening to a singer droning on and on about his bad love life.

That’s not to say there are no love songs on this CD, but it certainly isn’t the theme. Rather, this CD is about the times. It’s about the good times, bad times, old times, new times, signs of the times and so on. Moreover it’s about how times change.

Track one is the title track, and is summed up with the line “And when this hourglass has filtered out its final grain of sand / I’ll raise my glass to the memories, we had / This is my wish and I’m taking it back, I’m taking em’ all back.”

One of the best songs on the CD lyric-wise is track six, “The Saddest Song.” It’s an uncommon twist on a common theme. It’s a story of a father not being there for his son, from the father’s point of view. Take that Good Charlotte.

Track seven, “Summer ’79,” also touched a chord. It was about times growing up and most of us are in that transition between life being a party and life being something a bit more serious.

Track nine “All You Can Ever Learn is What You Already Know” makes a point as true as its title. Again, the theme of this song isn’t uncommon, but the lyrics refresh it. In my mind, it’s about the lack of beauty in the world today and the seeming lack of need for it. “Fell in love with his Keno waitress / they honeymooned in Memphis / they were married by the drive-up window / Trailer parks, neon signs and an empty box of Lucky Strikes / all used up on the dashboard of America.”

I loved that the CD seemed to just get better and better as it went on. Track 11, “Radio #2” was about the series of about 10 songs that are just played over and over again on the radio. But the song wasn’t just complaining, it made a really good point. “Look outside your FM dial, they’re preaching lies in 4/4 time / A generation without a voice and stripped of pride.” This song takes a look at music as more than entertainment, an art form that begs for variety.

I could go on for far too long, but I’ll sum it up by saying that to enjoy this CD you have to pay attention to the lyrics. And as the Ataris say in the final line of their final track “Eight of Nine,” “Appreciate the good times / but don’t take the worst for granted / ‘Cause you only get so many second chances.”