A scratching guitar awakens the listener to "Tool Box," a song about a life led by an alarm clock and a prayer to keep blood pumping by the heart. This opening to Sick and Tired calls out for "an even wage for renegades" and acts as a metaphor for staying inspired, even when hard work and perseverance start to feel like a repetition of mechanized actions. The movement of the melody and guitar solos prove the reward of creation is immortality.

A combination of elements from rock, hip-hop, pop and jazz create the soundtrack for lyrics that are spoken and often rapped. Working class songs like "The World" hit home, rivaling lyricists like Bob Dylan with simple truths like, "My baby sister don't know what to do / well stop your crying / don't you know I will take care of you or I'll die trying." Instantly, the listener feels a connection to a band that considers community as family.

The smooth, jazzy introduction to "Cultivate" may make listeners feel like stepping into an elevator, but hang on because the combination of rapped lyrics mixed with melodic choruses invites listeners into a rhythmic relation of melody and timing. The title track commands attention with its simplistic four-chord strumming under intensely personal lyrics that speak volumes to the idea of constantly moving forward and immediately lamenting the lost past. If Pasadena seems under the media radar, it speaks to the fact that this band is simply out creating music for the fans and as a means of self-expression. (Mothership Records)