Do You Know Who You Are?

Do You Know Who You Are? is the first and only studio album by American rock band Texas Is the Reason. After finalizing their line-up, wrote and released their self-titled debut EP in late 1995. Following it, they began recording their debut album at Oz Studios in Baltimore, Maryland, co-producing it with Jawbox member J. Robbins. Preceded by an east coast tour with labelmates Gameface, Do You Know Who You Are? was released on April 30, 1996 through Revelation Records. It was promoted with a European tour with Samiam, two US tours (one with labelmates Sense Field, the other with the Promise Ring), and a tour of Germany with Queerfish and Starmarket. Shortly after the Germany stint, the group broke up.

For the 1989 EP by Chicago house duo Virgo Four, see Virgo (album).
Do You Know Who You Are?
Studio album by
Texas Is the Reason
ReleasedApril 30, 1996
RecordedDecember 1995
StudioOz, Baltimore, Maryland
GenreEmo, post-hardcore, indie rock
Length37:42
LabelRevelation
ProducerJ. Robbins, Texas Is the Reason
Texas Is the Reason chronology
Texas Is the Reason
(1995)		 Do You Know Who You Are?
(1996)		 Texas Is the Reason/The Promise Ring
(1996)

Do You Know Who You Are? is a emo, indie rock and post-hardcore release, drawing comparisons to Jawbox and Hüsker Dü. The album's title is reportedly the final words John Lennon heard as he was dying; some of the songs allude to John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories. The record received a generally positive reaction from music critics, some of whom commented on frontman Garrett Klahn's vocals. Do You Know Who You Are? become Revelation Records' best-selling release, and has appeared on several best-of lists for the emo genre by the likes of Kerrang!, NME and Rolling Stone.

Background and production

Guitarist Norman Brannon joined the hardcore punk band Shelter in 1992, amidst the New York hardcore scene of the time.[1] Wishing to move away from the macho elements and religious preaching of the genre, he decided to form a new band with former 108 drummer Chris Daly[2] in mid-1993 while Shelter and 108 were touring together. The pair had previously played in hardcore band Resurrection a couple of years earlier.[1] Fountainhead bassist Scott Winegard and Copper bassist Garrett Klahn were brought in; Klahn switched to vocals and guitar.[2] While talking to their friends in the Van Pelt, the members asked them what names they rejected before settling on their final name – one of which being Texas Is the Reason.[3] After acquiring this name, which is also a line in the song "Bullet" by the Misfits, the band began writing material for their debut EP.[2] The group had their first show at the Equal Vision Records house in New York City, which was run by Shelter frontman Ray Cappo.[1]

They spent a year playing shows locally and appearing on the North-eastern touring circuit.[4] Soon afterwards, the band had the choice of signing with independent labels Jade Tree and Revelation Records (which was also founded by Cappo), or major label Atlantic Records. Ultimately, the group went with Revelation for a multi-album contract. Despite this, they had offers from labels to buy out their deal, going as far as to hire limos and hotel rooms for the group.[1] Released in November 1995 through Revelation,[5] the self-titled three-track EP was an underground success. It aided to separate the group from their peers due in part to Klahn's vocals and stage persona.[2] A fourth song recorded during the sessions of the EP was released on a split single with Samuel on the British independent label Simba.[4] In December, the group went to Oz Studio in Baltimore, Maryland to record their debut album. Producer role was split between Jawbox member J. Robbins and the band. Drew Mazurek handled recording, with assistance from M. Rippe. Mazurek mixed the recordings, before they were mastered by Vlad Meller at Sony Music Studios in New York City.[6]

Composition

Musically, the sound of Do You Know Who You Are? has been described as emo,[7][8] post-hardcore[8][4] and indie rock,[7][9] drawing comparison to Jawbox[10] and Hüsker Dü.[11] Klahn's vocals were compared to Richard Marx if he sang indie rock,[7] with a mixture of the nasal whine of Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and the raspy nature of Modest Mouse vocalist Issac Brock.[12] Robbins contributed strings and percussion to the recordings.[6] The album's title is reportedly the final words John Lennon heard as he was dying en route to a hospital.[13] Some of the tracks allude to John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories;[14] the title of "The Magic Bullet Theory" being a direct reference.[13]

The opening track "Johnny on the Spot" starts with drum, guitar and bass traids that were used by typical emo acts of the day,[12] before incorporating syncopated rhythms.[4] "Nickle Wound" was the most archetypal example of emo on the record, with its slow guitar work and marching drum patterns, prior to the guitars erupting into heavy distortion and later returning to the slow introduction.[12] "Something to Forget (Version II)" was re-recorded from its original release ("Something to Forget (Version I)") on the split with Samuel, and is slightly shorter than that version.[4] Brannon wanted the album to open with its title-track but was vetoed by the rest of the group.[1] The song is a slow instrumental that builds to a lot of distortion, eventually giving way to the hardest track on the record, "Back and to the Left".[12] The song, which has an aggressive rhythm section,[4] features a line of lyrics taken from labelmates Gameface's track "Three".[13] "A Jack with One Eye" was written in Daly's basement; Brannon's reaction to it was "thinking that this song is the next level, like this is a real song."[15]

Release and reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Ox-FanzineMixed[10]
PopMattersFavorable[12]
Punknews.org[9]

Promotion and touring

In March 1996, the group went on an east coast tour with labelmates Gameface,[6] leading up to the release of Do You Know Who You Are? on April 30;[7] Antarctica member Glenn Maryansky designed the artwork.[6] Following this, the group release a split single with the Promise Ring in May through Jade Tree.[16] In May and June, the group embarked on a tour of Europe with Samiam. After returning to the US, they went on a cross-country trek with labelmates Sense Field in June and July.[6] Between late December and February 1997, the band went on a six-week US tour with the Promise Ring, with support on select dates by Rocketscienece and Sweetbelly Freakdown. Following this, they went on a tour of Germany with Queerfish and Starmarket in February and March.[6] The group broke up not long after due to interpersonal tension.[2] The album was reissued as a retrospective compilation title Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection in February 2013.[17]

Critical response and legacy

Do You Know Who You Are? went on to become Revelation Records' best-selling release.[12] The album is a class staple of the emo/post-hardcore genres, and would go on to influence the likes of Pale, That Very Time I Saw, Dashboard Confessional, Basement and Citizen.[8] Do You Know Who You Are? has appeared on various best-of emo album lists by The Daily Dot,[18] Kerrang!,[19][20] LA Weekly,[21] NME,[22] Rolling Stone[14] and Spin.[23] Similarly, "Back and to the Left" appeared on a best-of emo songs list by NME[24] and Vulture.[25]

Do You Know Who You Are? received generally positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic reviewer Kurt Morris said the "unique angle" of Klahn's voice was "warm enough to draw one in, while not being overbearing to the point of annoyance."[7] The lyrics created an "atmosphere that invites tremendous one-liners and memorable songs."[7] Though they lacked the technicality of DC hardcore and the poppy nature of acts that would follow them, the group "provided the indie rock scene with a combination of all the elements that it took to produce a quality indie rock record."[7] PopMatters writer Douglas Shoback said that while they came across as a standard emo act, they managed to avoid "the common pitfalls surrounding emo", namely the "macho hardcore sound[, ...] aesthetic ... [and] overly melodic preaching".[12] Shoback complimented Klahn's vocals as being "the best instrument" in the group, being able to "hold a note and make it sound unique."[12] Punknews.org staff member Joe Pelone said it was "filler free", though criticized Klahn's voice for "a little nasal in spots, but this is still a phenomenal record".[9] Ox-Fanzine's Joachim Hiller said he was "not disappointed", and referred to it as music for "lazy HC veterans who dream of buying a house in the country and have also become quite reasonable otherwise".[10]

Track listing

All songs by Texas Is the Reason.[6]

  1. "Johnny on the Spot" – 4:15
  2. "The Magic Bullet Theory" – 2:48
  3. "Nickel Wound" – 4:36
  4. "There's No Way I Can Talk Myself Out of This One Tonight (The Drinking Song)" – 3:57
  5. "Something to Forget" – 5:50
  6. "Do You Know Who You Are?" – 2:43
  7. "Back and to the Left" – 3:55
  8. "The Day's Refrain" – 4:59
  9. "A Jack with One Eye" – 4:39

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.[6]

References

Citations

  1. Paul, Aubin (September 22, 2006). "Interview: Texas is the Reason". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  2. Downey, Ryan. "Texas Is the Reason | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  3. Krinner, Andreas (February–March 2016). "20 Jahre Später: Texas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are? (Revelation, 1996)". Ox-Fanzine (in German). Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  4. Anta, Julio (February 14, 2013). "Texas Is the Reason: Do You Know Who You Are? (The Complete Collection)". PopMatters. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  5. "Texas Is the Reason - Texas Is the Reason | Release Info". AllMusic. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  6. Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection (booklet). Texas Is the Reason. Revelation Records. 2013. REV151.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. Morris, Kurt. "Do You Know Who You Are? - Texas Is the Reason | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 21, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  8. Wahle, Sebastian (June–July 2016). "20 Jahre Später: Texas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are? (Revelation, 1996)". Ox-Fanzine (in German). Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  9. Pelone, Joe (February 8, 2013). "Texas is the Reason - Do You Know Who You Are? - The Complete Collection". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  10. Hiller, Joachim (1996). "Texas Is the Reason Do You Know Who You Are? CD". Ox-Fanzine (in German). Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  11. Doherty 1996, p. 26
  12. Shoback, Douglas (April 3, 2002). "Texas Is the Reason: Do You Know Who You Are?". PopMatters. Archived from the original on July 30, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  13. Heller, Jason (February 12, 2013). "Texas Is The Reason's Do You Know Who You Are? asks the big question". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on November 17, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  14. Exposito, Suzy (March 1, 2016). "40 Greatest Emo Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  15. Smith, Roz (February 13, 2013). "An Interview with Texas Is The Reason: Finally Figuring It Out". The Aquarian Weekly. Archived from the original on September 1, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  16. "The Promise Ring/Texas Is the Reason - The Promise Ring / Texas Is the Reason". AllMusic. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  17. Cubarrubia, RJ (December 5, 2012). "Texas Is the Reason, 'When Rock 'N' Roll Was Just a Baby' - Song Premiere". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 22, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  18. Ramirez, Ramon (July 27, 2016). "The best 5 emo albums of 1996". The Daily Dot. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  19. "The 25 Greatest Emo Albums Ever". Kerrang!. November 6, 2019. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  20. Freitas, Ryan De (May 12, 2020). "The 20 Best Pre-2000s Emo Albums". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  21. Grubbs, Eric (October 10, 2013). "Top 20 Emo Albums in History: Complete List". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  22. Barker, Emily (January 14, 2015). "20 Emo Albums That Have Resolutely Stood The Test Of Time". NME. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  23. Beaujon 1999, p. 148
  24. Hughes, Mia (May 24, 2019). "10 best 90s emo songs: killer tracks from the genre's golden age". NME. Archived from the original on June 21, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  25. Nelson, Brad (February 13, 2020). "The 100 Greatest Emo Songs of All Time". Vulture. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.

Sources

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