Los Angeles, California: Back in the late 1990s, most people thought they knew what to expect from Unwritten Law. One of the key punk bands of the era, an adrenaline-pumping blur of catchy melodies, buzzsaw guitars and raw vocals, two albums (and seemingly endless gigging) had firmly established them among America’s most frenetic attractions.
And then “Cailin” came along.
Written by frontman Scott Russo for his daughter Cailin, it was certainly a departure from Unwritten Law’s usual habitat. Even as their latest album, 1998’s Unwritten Law took shape, however, it was hard to shake the feeling that radio might take a fancy to it.
Their record company disagreed, No matter that a irresistibly heart-warming video had been shot for "Cailin," the label was adamant. Two singles had already been taken from the album. There would not be a third. So the band’s management set about promoting the song themselves and they were swiftly rewarded with Unwritten Law’s first hit single, number 28 on the Modern Rock Chart.
All these years later, the inspiration behind the song, Cailin Russo, is an enormously successful singer in her own right, while her song remains one of Unwritten Lw’s most beloved - the roar that greeted it when the band played San Diego’s SOMA in April 2022 proves that.
That full concert, An Evening With Unwritten Law, sees release on CD and vinyl on July 10. To ease the waiting, however, “Cailin” is released as a single today, and it’s as affecting a gift today, as it ever was in 1998.
SINGLE: https://orcd.co/unwrittenlaw_cailin
An Evening With Unwritten Law is a truly career-spanning collection. Seventeen songs peel out of the catalog, going all the way back to “C.P.K.” and “World War III” from the band’s Blue Room debut, and “Superman” from Oz Factor. and all the way up to “Beggars” from their closet recent album, The Hum (also available from Cleopatra Records). Of course they could have played more, but they could have played all night and someone would go home without hearing their favorite.
But a lot of them did hear what they were waiting for, and some folk, the really smart ones, didn’t care what the band played. It was enough that they were playing. And listening to the album today, it’s difficult to disagree. Unwritten Law have had a couple of “best of” style compilations over the years, and they did their job well.
But none do it as perfectly as this gig. An Evening With Unwritten Law is more than a souvenir of a great show. It’s a party to which you will never tire of getting an invite. And "Caitlin" has just opened the door a little wider.
CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=unwritten+law+an+evening+with
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/unwrittenlaw_liveinsandiego
Track listing
1. Intro
2. Lonesome
3. Teenage Suicide
4. Cailin
5. Beggars
6. Seein' Red
7. Celebration Song
8. F.I.G.H.T.
9. Nevermind
10. Shoulda Known Better
11. Babalon
12. Little Lies
13. Save Me
14. Up All Night
15. California Sky
16. Superman
17. C.P.K.
18. World War III
