Borders & Boundaries

Infobox Album
Name = Borders & Boundaries
Type = Album
Artist = Less Than Jake


Released = October 24, 2000
Recorded = Grand Master Studios in Hollywood
Genre = Ska punk
Length = 40:29
Label = Fat Wreck Chords
Producer = Steve Kravac
Reviews =
Last album = "Live from Uranus"
(1999)
This album = "Borders & Boundaries"
(2000)
Next album = "Goodbye Blue & White"
(2002)

"Borders & Boundaries" is the fourth album studio by ska punk band Less Than Jake. It was released October 24, 2000 on Fat Wreck Chords, the band's only release on this label. The album was recorded at Grand Master Studios in Hollywood, CA, with producer Steve Kravac, and is the final studio album to feature saxophonist Derron Nuhfer and trombonist Pete Anna.

Overview

The cover art features a map of the area around their home city of Gainesville, Florida, while the booklet "cover" art features a photograph of trombonist Pete Anna saluting the Statue of Liberty. Included on some copies is a spinning wheel which tells you the distance between Gainesville and eight places around the world; New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, Tokyo, London, Paramus, NJ, and Ljubljana, Slovenia.

After recording had concluded, the album was originally slated to be released on Capitol Records. There are conflicting reports over whether Capital Records decided not to release the album, or the band simply wishes to be freed from their contract with the label. Regardless, both sides were unhappy with the association, and the two parted ways. Less Than Jake bought the rights to the album, and released it on Fat Wreck Chords.

The album's lone video single, "Gainesville Rock City," received airtime on MTV2, and has gone on to become one of the band's signature songs. "Look What Happened" received minor airplay on college radio stations.

"Look What Happened" also appears on the band's next album, "Anthem", in a re-recorded state.

The album reached #103 in the Billboard charts. [AllMusic Charts: [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3ifexqw0ldje~T3 Borders & Boundaries] Accessed 19 October 2007]

Track listing

#"Magnetic North" – 2:59
#"Kehoe" – 3:01
#"Suburban Myth" – 2:25
#"Look What Happened" – 3:34
#"Hell Looks a Lot Like L.A." – 2:13
#"Mr. Chevy Celebrity" – 1:42
#"Gainesville Rock City" – 3:07
#"Malt Liquor Tastes Better When You've Got Problems" – 2:24
#"Bad Scene and a Basement Show" – 2:38
#"Is This Thing On?" – 3:06
#"Pete Jackson Is Getting Married" – 1:54
#"1989" – 2:27
#"Last Hour of the Last Day of Work" – 3:17
#"Bigger Picture" – 2:41
#"Faction" – 3:30

2002 UK re-release bonus tracksThese tracks originally appeared on a self-released 3" CD
*"Help Save the Youth of America from Exploding" (live) – 3:22
*"Rock & Roll Pizzeria" (live) – 2:17
*"Down in Mission" (live) – 2:43
*"Anchor - Sugar in Your Gas Tank" (live) – 2:51
*"Just Like Frank" (live) – 2:15
*"9th at Pine" (live) – 2:24
*"How's My Driving, Doug Hastings?" (live) - 1:26

Personnel

* Chris Demakes - guitar, vocals
* Roger Manganelli - bass guitar, vocals
* Vinnie Fiorello - drums, lyrics
* Buddy Schaub - trombone
* Pete Anna - trombone

* Derron Nuhfer - additional bari saxophone

Miscellanea

* The lyrics to "Magnetic North" are reproduced from one of Less Than Jake's old demos from 1993, "Shaky City"
* "Look What Happened" was originally titled "Look What Happened to Urashima Taro", a reference to a character of Japanese folklore. The band shortened the title before the CD artwork was done, doubting it would make much sense. Though a music video was never made for this song, the single recevied some airtime on college stations when the CD came out
* The title of the album is a reference to a line in the Simon and Garfunkel song "Cloudy". Lyricist and drummer Vinnie has said numerous times that, lyrically, Paul Simon is his biggest influence.
* Like many characters in Less Than Jake songs, Mark Cruce from "Mr. Chevy Celebrity" is a real person and is one of Vinnie's old friends who was credited as traveling with Vinnie from Port Charlotte, Florida to Gainesville to write music with Chris in the bands first months
* "Is This Thing On?" is written about one of the band's friends, Carter Graham, who died while the band was writing the album; the album itself is dedicated in his memory
* "Pete Jackson Is Getting Married" was written about the former saxophone player Derron, who left the band shortly after the album was recorded
* "Faction" was originally written for the "Scream 2" soundtrack, but Wes Craven suggested the band instead cover "I Think I Love You"