Underdog Alma Mater

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Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
AbsolutePunk.net(78%)[2]
Punktastic[3]

Underdog Alma Mater is the first studio album by American pop punk band Forever the Sickest Kids.

Composition

Many of the songs from Underdog Alma Mater had already been released in the band's previous EPs.

The band's very first EP, Television Off, Party On, featured the tracks "Believe Me, I'm Lying", "She's a Lady", and "Breakdown". However, these tracks have a significantly different sound to them in their respective recordings from the EP and Underdog Alma Mater. On the band's release, The Sickest Warped Tour EP, "Hey Brittany" and "Coffee Break" were featured on it, but were also different from their respective recorded versions on the album. Unlike the other songs, on the band's EP, Hot Party Jamz, the track "That for Me" was featured, but its recording remained the same as it was on the album.

During the writing of the songs for the album, guitarist Marc Stewart stated, "Our songs are about real stuff that's happened to us because that's what kids want to hear about. They want to listen to stories about things that could happen to them as well, or that already have happened to them."[4]

The track "Believe Me, I'm Lying", written by Austin Bello and Caleb Turman, is based on how Turman once ran into trouble with his girlfriend after he lied to her and left her in tears. Turman stated, "I was hanging out with some other girls, but I told my girlfriend that I was going out by myself. So, the girls and I decided to get some coffee, and as we're walking to the car, my girlfriend pulled up and her headlights were right there in my face. I was totally busted."[4]

"Believe Me, I'm Lying" and the track "My Worst Nightmare" were both written by Bello and Turman and both tracks had originally descended from the duo's former acoustic/electronic project Been Bradley. The original recordings of these two songs are featured on the deluxe edition of Underdog Alma Mater.

Release

It was released on April 29, 2008 worldwide through Universal Motown Records.[5]

On July 7, 2009, the deluxe edition of the album was released. It featured the twelve original songs from the album and seventeen additional tracks from the band, mainly from the band's earlier days. A DVD with live shows and other footage was also included, as well.

Track listing

All music composed by Jonathan Cook, Austin Bello, Caleb Turman, Kyle Burns, Marc Stewart, and Kent Garrison. All vocals by Cook, Bello, and Turman, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:24
2."Hey Brittany" (Cook/Turman)
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Squire
  • Rockwell
3:05
3."My Worst Nightmare"
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:45
4."Believe Me I'm Lying"
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Squire
  • Rockwell
3:05
5."The Way She Moves"
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Mahaffey
  • Turzo
  • Rockwell
3:42
6."She's a Lady"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Stewart
  • Squire
  • Rockwell
4:00
7."Uh Huh"
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Mahaffey
  • Turzo
  • Rockwell
2:58
8."Phone Call"
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Squire
  • Rockwell
3:18
9."Breakdown" (Cook/Turman)
  • Cook
  • Turman
  • Mahaffey
  • Turzo
  • Rockwell
3:37
10."That for Me"
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Squire
  • Rockwell
2:56
11."Coffee Break" (Cook/Turman)
  • Cook
  • Turman
  • Squire
  • Rockwell
2:40
12."Catastrophe"
  • Squire
  • Rockwell
3:18
Total length:39:48
Best Buy bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Give and Take (remix)"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
2:19
14."Hurricane Haley"
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:42
iTunes bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Indiana"
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:47
14."Becky Starz (remix)"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:47
UK bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."The Party Song"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:30
Deluxe edition tracklist
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Intro"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Burns
  • Stewart
  • Garrison
0:19
2."Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:24
3."Hey Brittany" (Cook/Turman)
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:05
4."My Worst Nightmare"
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:45
5."Believe Me I'm Lying"
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:05
6."The Way She Moves"
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:42
7."She's a Lady"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Stewart
4:00
8."Uh Huh"
  • Bello
  • Turman
2:58
9."Phone Call"
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:18
10."Breakdown" (Cook/Turman)
  • Cook
  • Turman
3:37
11."That for Me"
  • Bello
  • Turman
2:56
12."Coffee Break" (Cook/Turman)
  • Cook
  • Turman
2:40
13."Catastrophe"
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Goodman
3:18
14."Middletro"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Burns
  • Stewart
  • Garrison
0:15
15."Believe Me I'm Lying (original demo)" (Bello/Turman)
  • Bello
  • Turman
1:59
16."Indiana (hotel demo)" (Bello/Turman)
  • Bello
  • Turman
2:44
17."Who Invited the Monster" (Bello)Bello1:53
18."Bundled Up" (Cook)
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
2:47
19."Uh Huh (Demo)"
  • Bello
  • Turman
1:40
20."Catastrophe (acoustic demo)"
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Goodman
2:53
21."Believe Me I'm Lying" (featuring Chae Hawk)
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Chae Hawk
  • Geoff Rockwell
3:52
22."My Worst Nightmare (demo)" (Bello/Turman)
  • Bello
  • Turman
1:21
23."Give and Take (acoustic demo)"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
1:22
24."Give and Take (remix)"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
2:19
25."Heat Wave Jam Out" (Cook)Cook1:35
26."The Party Song"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:30
27."Love Story" (Cook)Taylor Swift3:24
28."Cop Car (demo)"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
3:14
29."Outro"
  • Cook
  • Bello
  • Turman
  • Burns
  • Stewart
  • Garrison
0:08
Deluxe edition bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."To the Show" 
2."Alien Encounters" 
3."Battle of the Bands" 
4."The Death of Scuz" 
5."Forever the Sickest Epilogue" 
6."1755 Live" 
7."In the Mix" 
8."She's a Lady (music video)" 
9."She's a Lady (UK music video)" 
10."Behind the Video of Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)" 
11."Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone) (music video)" 
12."Jumping (Out the Window) (music video)" 
13."London September 2008" 
14."London September 2008 part 2" 
15."London September 2008 part 3" 
16."London September 2008 part 4 - 'Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)'" 
17."London September 2008 part 5 - 'She's a Lady'" 
18."London September 2008 part 6 - 'Hey Brittany'" 

Personnel

Promotion

Fans would receive special bonuses by pre-ordering the album from certain retailers.[6]

  • Best Buy
    • Two bonus tracks: "Give & Take (Remix)" and "Hurricane Haley"
    • A bonus live video of the band's full set at SXSW
  • Interpunk
    • Button, sticker, and signed poster
  • iTunes (Digital download)
    • Two bonus tracks: "Becky Starz (Remix)" and "Indiana"
  • Newbury Comics
    • Signed CD booklet
  • SmartPunk
    • Autographed poster

Chart performance

Chart (2008) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard 200 45[7]

References

  1. ^ Fulton, Katherine. "Underdog Alma Mater - Forever the Sickest Kids | Songs, Reviews Credis | AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  2. ^ AbsolutePunk.net Review
  3. ^ Punktastic
  4. ^ a b Underdog Alma Mater JamBase
  5. ^ "Forever the Sickest Kids' MySpace". MySpace, Forever the Sickest Kids. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  6. ^ "Forever the Sickest Kids' MySpace". MySpace, Forever the Sickest Kids. Retrieved 2008-04-17.
  7. ^ Forever the Sickest Kids Billboard Chart trajectory - Billboard 200
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