The possibilities of storytelling within a rock-song format
were explored on Breathless, the Jet Age’s 2006 debut, but with
their second album, the Washington, DC trio has created a full-fledged
story that extends from every groove in the record and to every word in
the lyrics. Whether it’s a concept album, a rock opera, or the
soundtrack to an imagined musical is mere pigeonholing; what’s true is
that the power-punk songs establish a thought-provoking and cohesive
narrative, and whiplash drums, insistent bass, and spidery guitar tell
the story with more shading and depth than a literal, staged production
could ever manage.
What Did You Do During the War, Daddy? tells the story of a
husband and father who becomes so disillusioned with the state of
America that he joins an underground movement and becomes a suicide
bomber. “It’s an exploration of my very real concern that this country
is no longer by or for the people, and that concern is greatly
exacerbated by the fact that I’ve got a family,” explains
guitarist/vocalist Eric Tischler, who is also the band’s chief
songwriter. “Obviously, it’s largely fictional in that I’ve never
consorted with any revolutionary underground movement and I’ve never
blown myself or anyone else up.”
What makes the record work, though, is that you can take or leave
the story altogether. First and foremost, it’s a collection of great,
energetic rock songs in the vein of the Who, Hüsker Dü, and
the Clean. The conceptual theme actually streamlines the record, rather
than capsizing it under the weight of its own pretension. As Tischler
states, “I’m all about the songs, but how can a record that’s greater
than the sum of its parts not be even more valuable?
“It was important to me that the songs be able to stand alone,” he
continues, “Even ‘False Idols,’ which is the climax of the record, was
initially written as a stand-alone song. However, you can expect
us to play the whole damn record live, and to play it like our lives
depend on it.”