  
Gabe Garcia - guitar
Rus Martin - guitar, vocals
Dan Hartman - bass
Brian Borg - drums |
 |
Recorded at Sound City, Van Nuys, California.
Audio Mixer: Matt Hyde.
Recording information: Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, CA.
Editors: Paul Forgues; Edmond Monsef; Dan Druff; Mike Terry.
Photographer: Marina Chavez.
While The Routine is wrapped up in the trappings of a major-label release -- with its liners listing out business managers, guitar and drum technicians, and no less than five engineers -- Hotwire's debut full-length manages to avoid most of the after-market tinkering that made disappointing sound-alikes out of their suburban Cali counterparts in Hoobastank and Audiovent. Sure, The Routine channels the same mixture of Deftones rage and Incubus yearning. But together with producer Matt Hyde (Fu Manchu, Hatebreed), Hotwire's Russ Martin (vocals/guitar), Brian Borg (drums), Chris Strauser (bass), and Gabe Garcia (guitar) have made a debut that shows actual promise, instead of simply sticking with what's been proven to work. And in a post-grunge climate with clearly defined boundaries, that counts as a compliment. The post-hardcore one-two punch of "Not Today" and "Invisible" tears open The Routine with aggressive dynamic shifts and very little filler, while "Nice Profile" works on opening the cut with a fist-pumping chorus that can be forgiven for sounding like the soundtrack to a beer commercial. The ballads of the album's middle suffer, since there is nothing in either Martin's indistinct croon or the band's plodding riffs to separate them from contemporaries like Chevelle. (That said, "Say What You Want" does include a gorgeous acoustic coda that's a nice break before The Routine's second half.) Bogged down as it is with a directionless midsection, Hotwire's debut isn't ultimately as successful as its first half would suggest. But as The Routine draws to a close, screamers like "Magazine" and the punishing half-time finale to "Neuro Girl" again show Hotwire's promise and suggest that the high points of its debut aren't just a studio fluke. |
It's so sensational
Don't change a thing
It's too late for anger
When will you see the truth?
When will you ever learn?
Now we all know you got shot down
You got shot down
How does it feel to be shot down?
You're so predictable
It's so sensational
Don't change a thing
You're so predictable
It's so sensational
Don't change a thing
Just like we said you would
You got shot down
Yeah, just like we said you would
Well, how does it feel?
Just like we said you would
Well, how does it feel
Just like we said you would
Well, how does it feel?
Now we all know you got shot down
You got shot down
Don't change a thing
Don't change a thing
Yeah...ah
INVISIBLE
I remember when everything was calm
Now I'm thinking about chaos, chaos
I'm not dead
I'm not alive
I've got something that's on my mind
I said...
"We're on our way to a better place
We're on our way to nowhere safe"
It's all right if you don't care about being
Invisible
Everyone wants to be
Invisible
To hide, to hide, to hide
I got a problem that's never ending
No, I wear a sign that says,
"Stay off, stay off!"
I'm not low
I'm always high
I got nothing that's in my mind
They said...
"We can't explain a single thing
I can't erase the shame you bring"
Well, it's all right if you don't care about being
Invisible
Everyone wants to be
Invisible
To hide, to hide, to hide
Invisible
Everyone wants to be
Invisible
To hide, to hide...so
Death has won so sell us
We got nothing left
Come on now sell us
We got nothing left
Lets die 'cause we know
We know death has won
It's never too late for our graves
And I'm too lame
For this way
It's all right if you don't care
I've already been prepared
It's all right if you don't care about being
Invisible
Everyone wants to be
Invisible
To hide, to hide, to hide
Invisible
Everyone wants to be
Invisible
To hide, to hide
NICE PROFILE
You can count on me
For everything that you're feeling
And at the moment
I know it's everything you want
So don't ever withdraw
I can hear every word you say
Well I'm your shadow today
I won't
And I won't
Be afraid of what I can't see
I won't
And I won't
Be afraid of what I can't see
Don't you know you're the one?
You've got everything I want
I'm only here for just one night
I'll walk into your life and tear it apart
I can hear every word you say
Well I'm your shadow today
I won't
And I won't
Be afraid of what I can't see
I won't
And I won't
Be afraid of what I can't see
Lets get back
Get back to your bedroom
Now brace yourself for something else
Lets stay back
Stay back in the underworld
Now brace yourself for something else
From now until always I, I...
I wanna feel you
I won't
And I won't
Be afraid of what I can't see
I won't
And I won't
Be afraid of what I can't see
Of what I can't see
Of what I can't see
Of what I can't see
RUGBURN
You peeled your clothes off like a scab
Then your skin met mine and...
In a way, in a way
We are one
It's the way, it's the way
She wants to be done
Is it easy when you're feeling
Kind of like you do?
Is it easy?
'Cause my heart bleeds for you
Just like a rugburn
Do you think it's strange, think it's strange
That I can't stay here
I won't complain, won't complain
When she wants to stray
Is it easy when you're feeling
Kind of like you do?
Is it easy?
'Cause my heart bleeds...
Is it easy when you're feeling
Kind of like you do?
Is it easy?
'Cause my heart bleeds for you
I'm so unknown without you near
I'm so unknown without her near me
Is it easy when you're feeling
Kind of like you do?
Is it easy
'Cause my heart bleeds...
Is it easy when you're feeling
Kind of like you do?
Is it easy?
'Cause my heart bleeds for you
Just like a rugburn
SAY WHAT YOU WANT
there must be a problem coming near
cause thats when i come undone
i become a ghost and fade away from here
beyond all the same humans
pull me out pull me out
till im dry as a bull
say what you want to say
say that im not that smart she...
say what you want to say
but...
daylight will find, daylight will find...daylight will find...me..one day
my situation seems so clear
when all the fog disappears
and the shadows were my friend
have never reappeared
daylight will find, daylight will find...daylight will find...me..one day
Who would you do
Stay like a robot now
Who would you do
Stay like a robot now
Stay like a robot now
But daylight will find...daylight will find me one day
say what you want to say
say that im not that smart she...
say what you want to say
but...
daylight will find, daylight will find...me...one day..one day
HANDS ON YOU
With my head in its hands and the world on its feet
I think to collapse but instead drink deep
Salvation is a disease that spreads along, spreads along
Would you show me...
Show me how to burn
Everything I've claimed to know
How can I believe in this?
Why did you even care?
Show me how to burn
Show me how with...
I've been down for so long
It's a complex issue that won't solve itself
I can see through your skin and inside your hell
Temptation is a noose that's in love with your neck
Would you show me...
Show me how to burn
Everything I've claimed to know
How can I believe in this?
Why did you even care?
Show me how to burn
Show me how with hands on you
With hands on you
Sew it up and cut if off
Your mind should be the amputee
Sew me up and cut me off
Cut me off
And let me be alone
I've been down so long and so have you
I just can't go on
With hands on you
Show me how to burn
Everything I've claimed to know
How can I believe in this?
Why did you even care?
Show me how to burn
Show me how with hands on you
With hands on you
With hands on you
You, you, you
MAGAZINE
It's critical to be in
Critical to be in, to be in
Oh my God, oh my God...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Some other time, some place I can't remember
What it was I came here for
So when I set the fire
Jump in the flames
If I could be someone
Anyone but myself
Could I become the star
In your magazine
Magazine of...
If you want it bad
The plan of a girl
You have to pretend
It's the end of the world
So goodbye to normal life
Hello to the lies
If I could be someone
Anyone but myself
Could I become the star
In your magazine
Magazine of...
It's critical to be in
Critical to be in
TWEAKED
Every moment
Every moment
Everyone has a disappearing act
And it sucks because nothing is in tact
Sirens roll to charm you while bleeding
Like they care
I don't
I don't want to know
I can't
I can't think about it
It's just me and my...
It's just me and my...
I don't care if I should die tonight
Don't leave me alone
Don't say goodbye
When I'm gone it's over
And I'll see you in the sky
I don't
I don't want to know
I can't
I can't think about it
It's just me and my...
It's just me and my...
Mind
And I'm fine with that
Save your soul
Don't you know it's on the wall
Everything you want to own
Switch off
Hey you...
Hey you...
I don't
I don't want to know
I can't
I can't think about it
It's just me and my...
It's just me and my mind
Thank you for everything you said
Thank you for everything you gave
But still
Suck it
NEURO GIRL
And i thought about this for a million years
Its not about me or my failures
And its so hard....when you're making it up
And its so hard...when you're making it up
She said that shes neurotically dead
Why cant i be in control with it all
And its cold inside
And im changing a bit in a thousand ways
Its something i need for my failures
And its so hard...when you're making it up
And its so hard...when you're making it up
She said that shes neurotically dead
Why cant i be in control with it all
And its cold inside here, and its cold when you think about it
Wont you be cold fine, you wont feel it
Wont you be cold fine, you wont feel it
Wont you be cold fine, you wont feel it
Wont you be cold fine
What you want to say you wont say at all
And what you want to do you wont do at all
And how you feel now you wont want to feel at all
And what you want to say you wont say at all
She said that shes neurotically dead
Why cant i be in control with it all
And its cold inside here, and its cold when you think about it
She said that shes neurotically dead
Why cant i be in control with it all
And its cold inside here, and its cold
Wont you be cold fine, you wont feel it
Wont you be cold fine, you wont feel it
Wont you be cold fine, you wont feel it
Wont you be cold fine, you wont feel it..PAIN
COLORBLIND
You're not afraid of me
And I'm not afraid of you
We're just strangers now
We're strangers who don't care
I feel up, upside down
(You're the one who's always talking)
'Cause I can't move on when you're around
(I'm the one who's always giving)
We're just strangers now
We're strangers who don't care
I didn't see this coming
I was colorblind
And I didn't think it'd change me
I was colorblind
Blind for you
Colorblind
We can't relate anymore
(What's the use of being here at all)
It's too late to save us
(What's the use of being here for)
We're just strangers now
We're strangers who don't care
I didn't see this coming
I was colorblind
And I didn't think it'd change me
I was colorblind
I didn't think that it would hurt
I was colorblind
Blind for you
Colorblind...
Colorblind...
Colorblind for you
Colorblind for you
HOW IT GOES
What've we become
We are so dumb
I said all the wrong things
Now you're using them against me
Did I sell myself
And my brain to a girl
That took me and drowned me
But I know it won't last forever
So you never trusted me
So I can never trust you
Lie, deny, lies
That's how it goes
So I'll never miss you
For the things you put me through
We are so
Jaded from the stain that's on our plate
So I told myself everyday
Not to blame the world I see in front of me
'Cause it won't last forever
So you never trusted me
So I can never trust you
Lie, deny, lies
That's how it goes
So I'll never miss you
For the things you put me through
Waiting in your car
I start to lose my mind over...
Someone else
So you never trusted me
So I can never trust you
Lie, deny, lies
That's how it goes
So I'll never miss you
For the things you put me through
Take a look at me now
I'm done with this hell
And I'm not sorry
IN THE UNKNOWN
Oh maybe I was wrong
But I can't see the things you see
If I've made up on my mind
And I told you I didn't care
Would it even change a thing
The last bee sting
But all these new friends of yours
They think it's such a joke
When we lost our heads in the unknown
Oh maybe I was wrong
But I can't see the things you see
If I've made up on my mind
And I told you I didn't care
Would it even change a thing
The last bee sting
But all these new friends of yours
They think it's such a joke
When we lost our heads in the unknown
The unknown
The unknown
The unknown
The unknown
Yeah, something is different
I can see you from miles away
And nothing changes everything