Day After Day is an ambitious attempt to write about a song every day in 2024 (starting on Jan. 4).
Alcoholics Unanimous (2009)
Let's face it, alcohol and good decisions don't really go together. This is a lesson many of us have learned over the years. The English indie rock act Art Brut also learned it and put it into practice with the 2009 song "Alcoholics Unanimous," of their 2009 album Art Brut. vs. Satan.
The band recruited none other than Frank Black to produce the album and he got an excellent performance out of Art Brut. Led by singer Eddie Argos, the group went back to basics and delivered an art punk classic. On their third album, the band kept things basic, raw and raucous.
The lead single, "Alcoholics Anonymous," details a rough night out and a rougher morning after.
"Slept on my face, and woke up confused/A bit concerned about what I've been up to/There's so many people I might have upset/I apologize to them all with the same pretext/Bring me tea!/Bring me coffee!/I was up all night/(He's been up all night)/I've been making mistakes/(Lots of mistakes)/I'm hiding it well/(Not that well)/But I don't feel great."
Hangovers are no fun, but they're entirely self-induced. And nobody feels bad for you when you have one.
"Bring me tea/That looks like it really hurts/Bring me coffee/Should've taken the day off from work.
Argos wrote the song about drummer Mikey Breyer, who going through a particularly nasty hangover, as was Argos himself.
The song's chugging rhythm keeps you interested, while Argos frantically looks for something to ease his hangover. Ultimately, Argos refers back to English remedies.
"Bring me tea (Monday morning)/Bring me coffee (Tuesday morning)/Bring me coffee (Wednesday morning, etc.)"
The album had other singles, like "DC Comics and Chocolate Milkshake" and "Slap Dash for No Cash'," and still, it didn't sell well in the U.S. But Art Brut was forging its own way as an English parallel to the Hold Steady, with both bands featuring verbose frontmen who were adept at talk-singing while backed by killer bands.
Art Brut has only released two albums since '09, the most recent being 2018's Wham! Bang! Pow! Let's Rock Out! But if you're looking for hard-drinking anthems by verbose nerds, they've got you covered.
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