Smirk, aka Nick Vicario’s punk solo endeavor, was never meant to exist beyond a couple of cassette releases — and definitely not as a touring band. However, having played in bands since he was 12, Vicario recognized that there’s strength in numbers and recruited members of Hotline TNT, Poison Ruin, and Pardoner for his live show. With that same mindset, the Portland-bred guitarist tapped on a slew of friends (Ceremony, Advertisement, etc.) to create his latest full-length, Speculative Fiction — a dark, jangly collection that’s grounded in post-punk, power pop, and horror punk. The follow-up to 2022’s Material results in growth from every angle as he settles into a new phase of his life, slowing down in the Connecticut suburbs with a family in tow.
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Of the album’s emotional core, Vicario says, “Speculative Fiction ended up being a pretty reflective album, even if I didn’t set out to make one. I became a father, moved across the country, and spent a lot of time thinking about old friendships, bad habits, and how I have changed. Many of these songs deal with that change and leaving things behind — whether that’s places, people, or parts of yourself. The older Smirk records could definitely be goofier and more sarcastic-sounding, lyrically and musically. Not that I wanted to move away from that, but these songs just naturally ended up feeling heavier and more sincere. I was also revisiting a lot of my favorite old metal records while writing this album, and I think some of that made its way into the riffs. At its core, this record is about accepting change and mourning the things you’ve left behind.”
Below, Vicario takes us through the meaning behind every track on his recent offering.
“Greetings”
A tongue-in-cheek reintroduction. It’s basically me saying, “Hey, it’s me again. I’m still here and still writing about the same old shit.” Addiction, alienation, self-destruction — all the old themes are still in place.
“Victimry”
It’s about the tall tales that people spin for themselves and others, as well as the ways we can get trapped in our own narratives. It’s about grievance, self-pity, and avoiding some uncomfortable truths.
“Cheap Greed”
A song about class inequality and how insurmountable the gap can feel. The title came first, and the rest of the song grew around it.
“Going Off to Die”
Probably the emotional center of the record for me, and my favorite song on it. This one’s about leaving Los Angeles and making peace with becoming a different person than I was when I was there. It’s about loss, nostalgia, and eventual acceptance.
“Sistine Junk”
A song about being terminally online and looking for connection in places where there really isn’t any. I liked the contradiction of pairing something sacred with something disposable. It also opens with a quote from Terminator.
“Dog Years”
One of the more personal songs on the record. It’s about depression, getting older, and feeling like time moves differently depending on where your head’s at. When all of those things start weighing too heavily on you, thoughts of taking your own life can arise.
“I Shall Be Released”
Despite the title, this isn’t related to the Dylan song. It’s one of the darker songs on the record and deals with self-destruction and surrendering to your bad impulses and the environment that supports them.
“Perfect World”
I wrote this about a family member that I’ve had to watch age and, with that experience, both mental and physical decline. The lyrics describe a period when I was helping take care of them, and how I wasn’t really able to cope with it without self-medicating.
“Abide”
This started with the old hymn “Abide With Me.” I then reworked that into a song about friendships ending and coming to terms with the fact that everything eventually changes or fades away.
“Ritual Torture”
A song about the endless cycle of outrage and spectacle we all seem trapped in, sort of in a similar realm as “Victimry.” Each day there’s a new distraction and a new thing to be angry about. How fun!
“Shit Song”
“Shit Song” is a lampoon of pop songwriting but also my own tendency to overthink everything when writing. Probably the closest thing on the record to the old goofier side of Smirk.
“Crime Pays”
A lil story about a crime that unfortunately spirals toward violence. Also unfortunate is that crime can pay off sometimes! Oh well.
