“Three Days Later “ by FM Static, Thursday, November 16, 2023

We’re back to 2003 today, a year we’ve been visiting a lot recently. I’d argue that it was 2003 that made Tooth & Nail Records the biggest label producing mainstream Christian Rock, though the old school Tooth & Nail fans would be quick to point to the ‘90s with MxPx, The O.C. Supertones, and Plankeye. Still, Tooth & Nail seemed more fringe for the conservative listenership in Christian Rock compared to the rosters of ForeFront, Squint, Gotee, and Flicker Records, who signed bands with the intention of ministry. But in 2003, Tooth & Nail released a ton of albums with crossover appeal. On top of the crossover appeal of Tooth & Nail’s catalog, the label started to sign groups that had been established in Christian Rock. Thousand Foot Krutch was one of the acts. But before the band's genre-transitioning Phenomenon, TFK's drummer, Steve Augustine, and lead singer, Trevor McNevan, released an album on Tooth & Nail Records with their side project, FM Static.

I MADE A WISH ON A SHOOTING STAR. Thousand Foot Krutch’s Phenomenon shifted the band away from rap-rock. Singer Trevor McNevan trades rap verses for fast, rhythmic singing to hard rock. Lyrically, Krutch talks about spiritual matters and has quite a few “fight songs. It’s bro rock about having a beef with someone--Satan, other Christians who don’t understand them, the secular haters who mock Christians. Of course, there’s always the one ministry slow ballad for Air1. Then there was the punk rock side project, FM Static. In 2003, the band released their debut album on Tooth & Nail Records, What Are You Waiting For? Whereas the lyrics on Phenomenon are about the world being against you, What Are You Waiting For? is much less serious. The setting of most of the songs is school. This summer both Church Jams Now and Good Christian Fun talked about the album, and the hosts came to a similar conclusion: the lyrics sound like middle schoolers thinking about how awesome high school is going to be. 

OUR SHADOWS GROW UNDERNEATH THE STREETLIGHTS ‘TIL THEIR OVERGROWN. If I were ranking my favorite albums from 2003, FM Static’s debut record certainly wouldn’t make the cut. It’s saccharine in a way that will leave you a little sick after the 11 tracks. Lyrically, the tracks don’t leave much to talk about--though we should do a deep dive into “Crazy Mary” sometime. It’s all about parties (without drinking or sex), girls the speaker is obsessed with, and rocking out to hip-hop and Michael Jackson. There’s the obligatory, faith-sharing “Something to Believe In,” and the interesting reference to “watching Harry Potter” in “Definitely Maybe.” Still, there’s a nostalgic factor to this sound--maybe not this album for me. It was a time with sappy songs by Simple Plan. Relient K was certainly the top of the Christian witty lines, but there were a ton of copycat bands--Hawk Nelson, Stellar Kart, heck even Anberlin’s “Foreign Language” could have brought the band into the realm of lighthearted joke songs. FM Static just so happened to be the output of two members of a prolific songwriter. And if you can look back at your yearbook without cringing, why not enjoy a little bit of the Class of ‘03?

Read “Three Days Later” by F.M. Static on Genius