“You got something different and everyone just feels the same.”
Until today, I could forgive y’all for not knowing the name Elephant Jake. They’re a small punk band from a small town in New York on a small label, but they come with a big presence and even bigger talent. The band released their debut album, Classic, back in March via Wreck It Records and No Mom No Rules Records, but they’re at it again with a split release just in time for Friday the 13th. The hilariously titled Friday the 13th: The Made for TV Movie (The Official Soundtrack) Volume 1 (Remastered) is a three-way split between Elephant Jake, Stand and Wave, and Shark Club that will be released next Friday by the same tag-team of labels. The release sees two songs from each of the bands mentioned, and Elephant Jakes third contains easily some of the best music that I’ve heard all year.
They’ve got a sound that harkens back to the early days of the house that emo built (aka Tiny Engines) but with the same youthful energy of a band like Free Throw. Today, I’m excited to share a song that puts that marriage of sounds on display. “F.D.C.” is the song that opens Friday the 13th: The Made for TV Movie (The Official Soundtrack) Volume 1 (Remastered), and with an apology of all things. The lyrics speak to the positives of a relationship as well as the importance of mental health. For example, there’s the lyric “You said, “Baby do you wanna stay like this forever?”/Well I appreciate the question, but I don’t know how to get better” that feed right into “Well I guess its time to let you in/and I hope you do the same for me/cause I know just how you feel in the car/it can go one way or another/I’m on top of the world/or it’s pushing me down under.” It’s the kind of track you want to dance to, but also reminds you that it’s okay to talk about how you feel.
When asked to speak about “F.D.C.,” Elephant Jake says “The song’s lyrics relate to the promotion of positive mental health, and to take away the stigma of not seeking help. ‘F.D.C.’ is a personal sentiment to Sal Fratto’s, singer of the track, experience with struggling and positivity.”
You can stream Elephant Jake’s incredible new song, “F.D.C.,” below.
Friday the 13th: The Made for TV Movie (The Official Soundtrack) Volume 1 (Remastered) is out 10/13 on Wreck It Records. Pre-orders are available here.