Following the release of their latest single 'Inner Monologue' we caught up with East LA's explosive rock quartet, Lone Kodiak to find out their top 10 two-minute bagers. If you enjoy the bands picks be sure to check out 'Inner Monologue' at the end of the article.
PARKER
ZAO - 5 Year Winter, from Self-Titled (2001)
"BURN IT DOWN AND WALK AWAY! IFYKNK.
I legitimately think this is one of the greatest musical compositions ever created and that’s not hyperbole. Like I fucking love this song and still listen to it all the time. Absolutely brutal from the get-go, from doom sludge to classic speed metal to its relentless hardcore refrain climax (and even a guitar solo!) all in just over two minutes, this song slays. I’m still trying to figure out the time signature 21 seconds in. I don’t evangelize these days, but these guys and The Chariot are my version of The Case for Christ."
U2 - MLK, live version from U2: Rattle and Hum (1987)
"On the opposite end of the spectrum is U2’s gorgeous, haunting tribute to its namesake, MLK. I heard this for the first time when I popped in my youth pastor’s VHS copy of Rattle and Hum, and it destroyed me. Bono when his voice was at its peak, verbed out more than usual, singing a beautiful, melancholy melody over a droning ambient pad played by The Edge as a sort of hymn honoring a civil rights hero with none of the pomp (and a glaring historical inaccuracy) of my least favorite U2 classic: In the Name of Love. When the chords change at the end it hits me right in the heart."
MXPX - Yuri Wakes Up Screaming, from The Renaissance EP (2001)
"Here’s a review I found from Sputnik Music:
"Yuri Wakes Up Screaming" is a completely non-essential track...basically a filler, and is a horrible way to end this EP. It's bland and repetitive."
I mean they’re not wrong, but I love this dumb song and I make no apologies for that. MXPX was my introduction to punk, and while I’m 100% certain this song was written as a joke based on a true story about their drummer, there is some actual effort here when the “Yuri needs a lot of sleep” line kicks in, and it’s stupidly awesome. It is likely nostalgia more so than musical preference coming back to this one … it reminds me of my last pre-9/11 summer, all of us idiot friends piled into a car yelling every stupid lyric without a care in the world. Also I don’t think the reviewer understands how much we MXPX fans love Yuri."
ALDEN
AFI - Advances in Modern Technology, from Very Proud of Ya (1996)
"This song has been one of my favorites since I was in the 6th grade. I first heard AFI on the skate video Donut Duty and immediately went and bought the CD. The lyrics “No hope at all, take nothing from nothing and you'll have nothing left / I can't recall, I can't recall a moment in my life when life was at its best” spoke to me, even at such a young age. This song is a ripper and the lyrics and raw punk style still hit home."
Smoke or Fire - What Separates Us All, from This Sinking Ship (2007)
"Over the years the more punk bands I got into the more it shaped my beliefs, identity, and the punk I am today. The lyrical themes resonated with me: fuck the government, fuck the police and burn it all down. Nothing’s changed. There are a lot of positive messages about taking care of one another, too. The state of the world today makes lyrics like:"
“As you walk along on stolen ground, ignoring poverty Remember anyone becomes a criminal when you leave them starving. So ask the pro-life, pro-war, right wing Christian how their rationale makes sense. Should they decide whose children live or die and whose rights we should defend? One nation of division and conformity. Divided we stand, united we'll fall. So where's this land of equal opportunity? Divided we stand, united we'll fall.”
"While enraging me to the point of fighting back, it also makes me think about everything going on and what we can do to make it a better place. I think songs that make you truly feel happy, sad, or mad are good for the soul."
The Descendants - We, from Everything Sucks (1996)
"The Descendants have been a band that, no matter what I was going through, were always there for me. 8 studio albums of amazing songs to get you through the toughest of times. “We” has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember and is still one of my favorites."
“I don't know what the future holds, All I know is you're there with me That's all I need. So, hey Everything's gonna be okay (We've got it made together) Hey Everything's gonna be okay (We've got it made). When I look in your eyes I know what I want in life, Nothing more and nothing less Nothing more and nothing less (Everything's gonna be okay)”
"These lyrics always make me feel like everything is going to be OK. And side note, the bass line is one of my all time favorites. Sometimes you just need to hear that, and hearing it from Milo always seems to work."
JOSH
Van Halen - Eruption, from Van Halen (1978)
"I’ve heard it a million times and will probably hear it a million more, even though it’s literally just the guitar being shredded for a minute and forty-two seconds. I can’t play guitar to save my life so it’s all pretty impressive to me."
The Hives - A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T., from A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T. (1998)
"This one still gets me pumped every time. Just over two minutes, it’s upbeat and has all the things. Fast drums, gang vocals, driving bass line, quick pauses where instruments are soloed. I remember having this CD in my car on repeat for the longest time when I was younger. I probably still have it, too."
BEN
The Chats - Smoko, from Get This in Ya!! (2017)
"Two minutes of trashy, Aussie angst. Rolling bass, simple drums, and a hooky guitar. The man just wants to be left alone on his break at his dead-end bullshit job. We've all been there right?"
The Bronx - I Got Chills, from The Bronx (2003)
"Two-minute banger from one of my favorite LA bands. Starts with an energetic guitar riff, then kicks into an aggressive verse only to erupt into a melodic chorus which the singer is spiraling out of control. Then back into the guitar hook. Full of energy and fist shaking good fun."
Listen to Lone Kodiak 'Inner Monologue'