The self-titled record from Fenix TX came with a number of firsts for the band. It was their first major label LP, the first record that they would release after re-branding from Riverfenix to Fenix TX, and their first real exposure to the mainstream of pop-punk that was beginning to blossom during the summer of 1999. Other pop-punk bands, like Blink-182, were getting major radio airplay and more audiences were being exposed to this genre of music. Fenix TX was produced by Jerry Finn, Ryan Greene, and Jim Barnes, and the band would continue to work with Finn on their equally successful Lechuza. This self-titled LP by the pop-punk band from Houston still sounds as charming, polished, and at moments a bit before its time. For every great track like “All My Fault” and “Flight 601 (All I Got Is Time),” there’s a goofy song like “Rooster Song” to show their audience that they were growing up and to not be taken too seriously. There’s plenty to love and enjoy on this LP that would provide plenty of clues of where Fenix TX would take their sound on subsequent releases.

Of all the bands that got attention during the boom of the pop-punk and Drive-Thru Records era, I always thought that Fenix TX didn’t get enough love. Their self-titled debut (after their official name change) launched their first legitimate hit in “All My Fault” and had several other tracks on the album that could’ve been just as successful with the right commercial push. Lechuza brought some added pressure since they were expected to outsell their MCA/Drive-Thru Records debut and take their sound to new and exciting directions. They officially kicked off this era of the band with the single, “Threesome” that received moderate MTV2 video airplay and some success with the Warped Tour crowd. With great guitar work, solid pop hooks, and a fresh sound to go into this album cycle, why did Lechuza not get the same amount of attention as their colleagues on the same label?