On June 22, 2018, the rock trio City of the Weak released the full-length album titled Pulling Teeth. City of the Weak is known for the energy of their live performances, their amazing work ethic as they are constantly on the road touring, and lead vocalist Stef w/ an F possesses not only the unique stage name but truly one of the powerful voices in today’s rock scene. Brent Lindblad on guitar and Cody Hoffman on bass round out the Minneapolis-based band.
“Not This Time” is the first video the band released off this album and it is also the first song that really jumps out to the listener. This song is the perfect embodiment of the energy and raw emotion the band possesses. “Not This Time” carries a strong theme of defiance and also self-discovery. Stef wraps up the chorus with the lines, “I’m gonna get what I wanted all along. I let you push me around, but not this time.” Any listener that has gone through a period of life where they have told themselves something has to change can relate to this song and Stef’s powerful voice is perfect for this message. Please check out the video for this release below:
The following song “Censor This” picks up right where “Not This Time” leaves off…yes, literally but also and more importantly in theme! “You can throw a fit, but you can’t censor this. I’d rather take a risk than change the way I am. You wanna play it safe, but you don’t understand. I guess you’ll never see that you can’t censor me!” Once again, this is an easy message for the listeners to relate to as everyone has, at least to an extent, a rebellious side in them. The ones who mostly keep that inside of themselves can imagine having the freedom Stef expresses in this song. It’s another perfect synapsis of the album and the band as a whole.
“Suffer Like Me” provides a slightly different sound for the album with a much slower introduction, an almost techno sound, and a more soothing voice from Stef. “The truth hurts, but honestly I hope you suffer like me” is Stef’s expression of a feeling that I believe is more true than we would all like to admit. It’s not easy to put pain and suffering out of our mind’s and to wish people–who may be the cause of said suffering–the best as they move on.
It is very easy to get into City of the Weak and this album especially. Listeners will be reminded of various 90s grunge bands at various points in this album, yet City of the Weak has more power than a band typical of that genre through Lindblad’s riffs and Hoffman’s bass and no one from that era is comparable to Stef. The lyrics of this album are brilliant and very easier for a listener to relate to. City of the Weak has definitely proven to be a force with this album and it is one of my personal favorites for 2018. “Pulling Teeth” is an album that describes the words defiance and independence at its purest form. For that, I give “Pulling Teeth” a very solid 8/10 stars!
Track Listing for Pulling Teeth:
- Like I Do
- Trust Nobody
- Glad You Could Make It
- Not This Time
- Censor This
- Ungrateful
- Drag Us Under
- Drop the Anchor
- Suffer Like Me
- Pulling Teeth
For more information on the band, please check out the following websites and social media pages:
www.facebook.com/cityoftheweak/
https://twitter.com/CityoftheWeak
https://www.instagram.com/cityoftheweak/
https://cityoftheweak.wordpress.com/
https://www.vevo.com/artist/city-of-the-weak
And lastly, City of the Weak can be seen wrapping up a busy summer of touring at the following dates and locations:
August 8 Mesa Theater in Grand Junction, CO
August 10 North Star Bar in Rochester, MN
August 17 Capone’s Johnson City, TN
Aug 19 Beer City Music Fest in Asheville, NC
Aug 23 The Concourse in Knoxville, TN
Aug 24 Trixie’s in Louisville, KY
Sept 1 The Twist of Lime in Metairie, LA
Sept 8 Laredo, TX
ICYMI: Check out our interview with Stef with an F here!
