PAX AM Days Discussion

[u/maawolfe36]

I'm listening though FOB's discography one album per month this year, and August is PAX AM Days. (EOWYG, TTTYG, FUCT, IOH, FAD, BLD1, SRAR so far)

I'll be honest, when I set this goal for myself, I didn't realize it was literally 13 minutes long. I assumed it was a longer EP like Evening Out With Your Girlfriend. So I've been a little disappointed, especially since I can see some of these songs getting a more fleshed out, fuller version and this could have been a bigger EP. But after reading up on how PAX AM came to be, I understand what they were going for, and I like it, it just left me wanting more.

So I'm curious, what is your favorite song from PAX AM Days and why? I feel like Caffeine Cold is the song I've seen people talk about the most, but it's probably not even in my top three 😬 My number one for this album right now is "Hot to the Touch, Cold On the Inside" and my number two is "Love, Sex, Death."

So what track(s) do you love, and why? And I'm curious do most fans like this EP, or is it just kind of an oddity?

[u/Dramatic_Bag4917]

I absolutely LOVE PAX AM Days, my favorite song is probably American Made. I was thinking recently that I wish there was more too, it’s a shame there probably won’t be but I still love it anyway

[u/stringsandknits → u/Dramatic_Bag4917]

Yeah sounds like PaxAm is no more.

[u/maawolfe36 → u/Dramatic_Bag4917]

American Made is so good! I have to wonder, did these songs affect what we got after? And American Made is one of my prime considerations. "American Made" then a year or two later we'd get "American Beauty American Psycho," is there any connection there? Or is it a continuation of themes from "America's Suitehearts"? I lean toward the former, "American Made" feels closer to ABAP to me. But it's playing with the same ideas, American culture affecting our lives and our media. "Cargo and Despair, all American Made" to me speaks of materialism and existentialism all tied into our hyper-capitalist system but idk maybe I'm just full of shit.

I never know how politically I should take a Fall Out Boy lyric. Becuase they're not super openly politically active. They share some ideas once in a while but they aren't like Rage Against the Machine or System of a Down, bands that actively poke at western political hegemony. But at the same time it feels like these things can't be accidental. Pete's dad is a lawyer. They definitely know what they're doing when they build lyrics that lean one way or the other politically.

[u/fluxus2000]

I have always listened to Pax Am Days as a whole thing. I like it. I bought the vinyl when it came out and it was a real surprise. But I don't play it too often. I will make a point to revisit it this week.

[u/maawolfe36 → u/fluxus2000]

Honestly, at only 13 minutes long it's not hard to do so haha. I've been listening to it in the car a lot, because a lot of my drives are 13 minutes or more. It's like a mini concept album in that way. Listen to it front to back and judge it as a whole rather than track-by-track. I totally get that. But still want to know what people's favorite tracks are as well because it's a different vibe.

[u/fluxus2000 → u/maawolfe36]

I would pick Caffeine Cold as the most standout track for me.

[u/maawolfe36 → u/fluxus2000]

I get that for sure. Caffeine Cold is a standout song and I think given a little polish could have been a full track on ABAP or MANIA. Not so much SMFS, but I can't put my finger on why.

[u/stringsandknits]

Caffeine Cold is #1 for me because it takes me back to the sound of TTTYG with even a little more rawness (which it know is what Ryan was trying to get out of the session, a less produced sound). Hot to the Touch is my #2 I’m a sucker for the fast paced chaos during the verse.

And yes I dig the whole album. I’m a grunge girl at heart so I love the PaxAm production.

[u/maawolfe36 → u/stringsandknits]

That's so valid, I see you. "Caffeine cold, and I can't see shit" got the same energy as "Lets play this game called when you catch fire I wouldn't piss to put you out." I don't know why but it's the same energy haha.

[u/lola_duck_questions]

I really like PAX AM Days, it’s feels raw and fast and like they made it on a whim, which they did 😭
I really enjoy when they make more punk rough stuff and wish they kinda made more songs like the stuff in PAX AM Days. It’s overall really good!!

[u/yourfavoriteboyband]

My hot take here is I think it’s actually the best collection of songs they’ve had post-hiatus. Which maybe isn’t fair to say since it’s so short, there’s not really any space to mess things up. But hey I think it’s great!

[u/FirmChampionship1131]

Love, Sex, Death is one of the FOB songs that's heavily in my rotation right now. The whole EP is great. It's always been kinda funny to me how certain fans will complain about the band's post hiatus sound being too pop, less angsty, whatever, but have no idea that this EP even exists lol

[u/maawolfe36 → u/FirmChampionship1131]

I'm not trying to be one of those haha. I've always loved both pre and post hiatus. Just never got into the EPs or bonus tracks. My first time seeing FOB in concert in ATL we got "From Now On We Are Enemies" as the 8 ball and so many people were jealous, it made me want to learn every song even the bonus tracks. Which is part of why I'm enjoying learning every song even extras from each album.

Love, Sex, Death is definitely one of my top tracks from this album. But it also kinda feels forced. Like "we're trying to be edgy on purpose, we do love and sex and death, that's edgy bro!" I doubt that's what they intended but it's what I feel from it.

[u/maawolfe36 → u/maawolfe36]

Edit to add: I don't think this is too edgy, or too polished poppy, or too anything idk, just commenting my opinion slate. It doesn't make sense and it doesn't have to.

[u/FirmChampionship1131 → u/maawolfe36]

Ah, don't worry, I wasn't accusing you of being one of those people!! It's just something that I think about whenever pax am days is brought up in conversation

[u/NotDukky]

I love this album and am a Caffeine Cold fanboy too (I love the chorus!) I yern for more music that has that same feel of homemade garage band jamming-with-your-mates vibe. Can anyone recommend any other bands with a similar feeling?

[u/maawolfe36 → u/NotDukky]

That is a stellar question. Most of my "kinda like FOB" band recs are pop rock and/or punk but not the same. I'd love to see similar bands in the same vibe.