Label: Jemp

Reissued 3/14/2025

If AGES & AGES’ debut album Alright You Restless declared independence from the cynicism and self-consciousness plaguing a generation; and the follow-up Divisionary was an exercise in confronting change, conflict, and loss; Something to Ruin confronts the debris of our collective failures and asks whether we might be better off letting go and starting over. Recorded at Isaac Brock’s studio (Ice Cream Party), this album still has plenty of the infectious and joyful melodies the band is known for, but this time the stakes are higher. It raises questions about facing our society’s collective wreckage both environmentally and culturally. With all members hailing from Portland, Oregon, Something to Ruin, explores what it’s like to watch your hometown implode in a frenzy of real estate development and lifestyle branding. Songs like “Kick Me Out” and “I’m Moving” describe the “manufactured wilderness” that former bohemian sanctuaries like Portland & other cities have become.

Track Listing:

1. Bouncing Around The Room
   
2. Stash
   
3. Gumbo
   
4. Montana
   
5. You Enjoy Myself
   
6. Chalk Dust Torture
   
7. Slave To The Traffic Light
   
8. Wilson
   
9. Tweezer (Part 1)
   
10. Tweezer (Part 2)
    
11. Simple
    
12. Harry Hood
    
13. The Squirming Coil