The Memoirs: Public Confessions

The Memoirs formed in 1999 and released a steady stream of popular albums filled with their trademark blend of absolute narcissism and self-pity. Their lyrics are easily identifiable by the always-embarrassing self-revelations, which provide the hungry audience with somebody against whom they can favorably compare their empty lives. Public Confessions compiles the somewhat-best of The Memoirs, with songs like "I Probably Used to Drink More Than You Did in College," "If I Make It to the 12th Step They'll Have to Invent the 13th," and "Help: I'm Running Out of Problems." As the band reached its zenith, various members attempted to self-destruct but instead were Bakerized by album-dependent fans. "Luckily," these escapades provided the material for still more records, including their next, "Grant Me the Wisdom to Know the Difference Between Suffering and Self-Promotion."