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Today's song comes from the cleverly titled album "Last Stop: Crappy Town" by Reggie and the Full Effect. 

This kind of music is as "hard-core" as I get.  I've been amused by this band for years, mostly because it seems it was all started as a joke.  James Dewees was the keyboard player for The Get Up Kids and started Reggie as a side project.  His earlier albums are hilarious at times, mocking 80's Brit-pop, Finnish grunge bands and hardcore punk. 

But as this band's music has evolved it feels like it's become more serious.  I could be wrong- maybe I'm not cool enough to be in on the joke-  Pretty sure I'm not.  Here's the song for you.  For those who care it's the final track of the album. 

According to the websites I've visited, Dewees wrote this album while taking the subway from his house in Brooklyn to a rehab facility.  The album feels apocalyptic in a way, as if your on a ride on some runaway train to hell, or Provo, Utah. 

Since we're on the subject of hellish train rides, I'll tell you my worst train ride experience, not that you care...

In 2002 I was in Italy by myself.  While I was visiting Venice, the good people of Italy decided to have a train strike.  My itinerary had me in Venice for one day, and because of the strike I was stuck there for 3 days. 

I was in my early 20's at the time.  Venice is a nice place, and I may appreciate it more now, but I felt like there wasn't enough to see to be stuck there for 3 days.  Thankfully, the strike ended, and I was anxious to buy my ticket to the next stop on my itinerary-  Florence. 

"I'll have one ticket for Florence," I said in my best Italian.

"The trains aren't going to Florence because of the strike" was the response.

"But the strike is over"

"Not completely..."

WHA???  With regret, I purchased my ticket for Rome- and decided Florence would be for another visit in the future. 

If you've ever been on a European train ride, you'll know that unless you paid a fortune for tickets, the train makes several stops.  So where do you think my train stopped along the way? 

No, Not Provo, Utah.      

My proudest moment as an Italian speaker was going into the business office (in Florence) of this disorganized train company and demanding a refund on my ticket- and I got it!