It Means Everything

While at Fullerton College in Fullerton, California, Monique Powell joined the bands Larry and the Shanties.[1] After Los Pantalones broke up in 1995, some of the former members, namely guitarist Brian Mashburn, bassist Bull Uechi, saxophonist Eric Zamora, and trumpeter José Castellaños,[2] formed a new band with a new vocalist. When he left, they considered Powell, who they knew from shows with Larry. Despite not being a frontwoman previously, she agreed to join on the condition everyone was committed to the band—she wanted to do music full-time after she quit attending Fullerton. The trombonist left due to not wanting to be committed, and was replaced by T-Bone Willy of the Nuckle Brothers, who was a friend of Powell.[1] Drummer Marc Harismendy joined afterwards.[2]

The band was christened Save Ferris after the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). Powell became their manager; she had connections throughout the Orange County music scene because of being in Larry and her contact with Reel Big Fish. Their profile rose quickly, reaching headlining status at a point that angered other long-time bands.[1] Save Ferris recorded their debut EP Introducing Save Ferris (1996) after Powell's sister paid for the studio sessions.[1] It was released through Starpool Records,[3] the band's own label named after a star-shaped pool at Willy's house.[1] The EP was planned to be promoted with "The World Is New" in early 1997.[4] Despite not being distributed at the time of its release, the band was on KROQ-FM.[1] Although they were unable to keep up with demand,[5] it sold 12,000 copies.[6]

Save Ferris then performed at a Grammy Awards showcase for bands,[6] and won the final round of the competition, which was taking place in New York City in February 1997.[7] Senior vice-president of A&R at Epic Records David Massey witnessed this and decided to sign them, saying it was "one of those spontaneous things. They simply drove the crowd wild."[7] Powell was dismissive, saying that since California-based No Doubt was having success, "all of these A&R guys had very little creativity [on who to sign next]. They were looking for the next female in ska or whatever."[1] After signing in March 1997,[8] the label re-issued Introducing Save Ferris.[9] When radio stations in Southern California were asking about a live recording of their cover version of "Come On Eileen" (1982) by Dexys Midnight Runners, the reception of it saw the band recording for their debut studio album.[10]

It Means Everything was largely recorded at NRG and The Hook studios, in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California between April and June 1997. "The World Is New" was recorded at Front Page Studios in Burbank, California and The Hook. It, alongside "Superspy", "Sorry My Friend", "Spam" and "Under 21", was re-recorded during the sessions. Collins solely produced the majority of the tracks bar: "The World Is New", produced by the band and Craig Nepp; and "Come On Eileen", which Collins co-produced with Clive Goddard and the band. Goddard also did additional production on most of the songs, and acted as engineer throughout the recording. Orchestration was recorded at the Sonics studio in London, England with engineering done by Mat Clark. Mixing was done by Goddard at Record Plant in Hollywood; Greg Collins, Steve Mixdorf, Kenji Nakai and Lisa Lewis served as secondary engineers. Stephen Marcussen then mastered the album at Precision Mastering.[11]

Jennifer Clay of Wall of Sound compared the album to the sound of No Doubt, but clarified that Powell was "more of a long-lost Andrews sister than a Gwen Stefani clone".[12] AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine said Save Ferris tried to set themselves from their ska punk contemporaries by incorporating elements of swing music, which he thought was adapted from the work of the Squirrel Nut Zippers.[13] Clay also acknowledged the swing connection, adding that with a touch of power pop, "this young gang of seven has created its own ska hybrid."[12] Nude as the News writer David Thomas said the album was "short on punk, sticking to an elemental version of ska"; he mentioned that the horn section "itself doesn't try to imitate guitars," as what members in Less Than Jake do, instead styling "themselves after big bands from the swing age of the '20s and '30s".[14] Paul Hampton contributed Hammond organ and electric piano to "Nobody But Me", "Goodbye", "Sorry My Friend", "Lies" and "Little Differences", while Kid Tracy provided tenor and baritone saxophone.[11] Clay noted that the lyrics detail "meat by-products, spies, and the woes of relationships".[12]

"Nobody But Me" displays Powell's range as a vocalist.[14] "Superspy" is a swing track in the vein of Poi Dog Pondering,[15] which sees Powell duetting with Mashburn.[12] Save Ferris' version of "Come On Eileen" shifts towards ska, compared to the Dexys Midnight Runners original; the staff at Billboard said Save Ferris showcase a "deft way of serving from jittery guitars to sunny horns", with tempo changes as the "verses dart from a breathtaking pogo pace to the more shoulder-shaking rate of the chorus" sections.[16] Powell became enamored with the original when she was 8-years-old and was adamant about the band covering it.[10] "Lies" and "Everything I Want to Be" both feature string orchestration, the former composed by Simon Warner and Richard Benbow, and the latter from Benbow solely. The orchestration consisted of violinists Howard Gott and Laura Williams, violaist Naomi Fairhurst and celloist Ed Jeffries.[11] Clay said "Lies" "seduces [the listener] with a well-placed string backdrop and horns that seem to weep along with Powell's voice."[12] "Spam", which includes additional vocals from the Starpool Elementary School Choir,[11] is a homage to the food of the same name by Hormel Foods Corporation.[1] "Under 21" discusses a woman trying to get into a concert for free.[17] Willy explained that they try to avoid performing at clubs that restrict shows to patrons 21 and up as they do not wish to exclude anyone.[18]

It Means Everything was released on September 9, 1997,[19] through Epic and Starpool Records.[11] Issued during the third wave of ska,[12] Bradley Bambarger of Billboard wrote that Save Ferris would come to define the "sound of young America on the radio this year" alongside other ska acts the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Sublime and Reel Big Fish.[20] The following month, the band embarked on a US tour, supporting Goldfinger alongside Kara's Flowers.[21] It was subsequently promoted with an appearance on Warped Tour, alongside performances with the Offspring, Sugar Ray and other acts.[2] "Come On Eileen" was released as a single on October 20, 1997;[22] the US edition featured a "For You" and "night mix" of "Come On Eileen",[23] while the French version also included a "day mix" of "Come On Eileen".[24] "Goodbye" was released to modern rock radio stations in the US in early December 1997.[25] In April 1998, the band went on a tour across Europe.[8] "The World Is New" was released as a single in that territory, with live versions of "Spam" and "Artificial Life", an Operation Ivy cover, as its B-sides.[26] "The World Is New" was released to modern rock radio stations in the US the following month.[27] By June 1998, Harismendy had left the band, citing wanting to be at home in Artesia, California. He was replaced by Mindrot member Evan Kilborne, who they met through Home Grown.[8] "Superspy" was released to modern rock stations in August 1998.[28]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[13]
E! Online	C-[15]
Pitchfork	9.5/10[29]
Wall of Sound	79/100[12]

It Means Everything was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics, some focusing on the overall quality of the album. The staff at E! Online thought the album was a "wild and wacky trip" which "never stops long enough to take a breath".[15] They concluded that there was a "definite lack of weight to [the sound of] Save Ferris, however sweet and charming they may be".[15] Pitchfork contributor James P. Wisdom said the album "knocked my socks off" and "pulled me awake with its clean bouncin' groove".[29] Clay was equally enthusiastic about the album, saying "these catchy, infectious numbers teem with enough quirky style to sway even the most stationary" of listeners.[12] Erlewine noted that similar to their peers, Save Ferris has a "tendency to wallow in smirking 'irony' ... which may sound good in concert, but it sinks on record."[13]

Other critics singled out Powell and Mashburn's contributions. Erlewine highlighted Powell for her "energy and charisma", and Mashburn for his ability to compose a hook, with "The World Is New" and "Superspy" as examples.[13] Thomas said Mashburn's strictly ska guitar work makes It Means Everything stand out with its own style," and also praised Powell for her voice being "sultry at times, but more often pleasantly sweet."[14] Megan Frampton of CMJ New Music Report wrote that Save Ferris' "strongest attribute is Powell's vocals, and armed with them, this group can no doubt succeed where few ska bands have."[30]

It Means Everything peaked at number 75 on the Billboard 200, selling 13,366 copies in its first week of release.[31]

Writing credits per booklet.[11]

Personnel per booklet.[11]

• Honey, I'm Homely! – album by contemporaries Dance Hall Crashers, released on the same day

• Bell, Carrie (October 18, 1997). "Ska Fever Surges into a New Era". Billboard. ISSN 0006-2510.
• Cocuzza, Tony (October 17, 1997). "Audio Reviews". Reading Eagle. ISSN 2469-3448.
• Flick, Larry, ed. (December 20, 1997). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 51. ISSN 0006-2510.
• Speese, Jim (October 17, 1997). "Chameleon Club continues to showcase national talent". Reading Eagle. ISSN 2469-3448.

• It Means Everything at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)