The JV Allstars - Hold On To This

This year has already been one to remember, new bands releasing notable debut material with other artists releasing new and improved material. One genre that has made vast steps to resurrect itself this year is pop-punk. Once left for dead, this musical category has boasted bands that have not only tested the waters of the mainstream but dove in. Those bands seemingly became pre-occupied with growing hair swoops and wearing neon colors rather than concentrating on making their music. Newly reborn, pop-punk has become log jammed with bands jockeying for position in the upper echelon just vying for the attention of the listener. This year especially, you have to do something notable by releasing an album that will resonate with fans and reach out to new fans with a lasting message. Enter, The JV Allstars with their new release, Hold On To This.

The JV Allstars - Hold On To This

Starting out with a soft and acoustic beginning, the lead-off track “Portland, Then” brings up similarities and memories of The Wonder Years track, “My Last Semester”. Working with the softer intro, the guitars then create a sonic blast and the tempo increases, leading into the verses. The opening fits the mold for the album, creating an audio atmosphere that can be manipulated and evolve as the album grows. Accented by a round-worthy chorus, this track starts the album off well, showing great promise.

“Side By Side” begins with guitars and drums accenting each other and creating a dueling illusion, eventually settling into the groove for the verses. The lead guitar accents are well orchestrated and are very well placed. This leads me to the main attraction of the song, the chorus. In what is one of the best choruses I’ve heard of any song all year, the lyrics resonate, the melody is simply infectious, and it can be sung at high volumes. Most of the same can be said for “Dollar Menu Date Night”. The vocal and guitar melodies complement each other very well, the chorus is just as infectious and almost forces you to sing along, and the guest vocals (courtesy of Chris Fogal of The Gamits) bring a different element to the track and fit in very well. Both of these songs are some of the essential listening tracks of the new pop-punk revival, and even for pop-punk in general.

Songs like “Coyote” and “Your Pants Are On Fire” hang their hats on their respective breakdowns with melodic choruses and evolving theatrics in vocals. “Leaving Degrassi” starts with a good acoustic riff with vocals that seem despondent, which seem to work unbelievably well with the lyrics. The guitar mix in the chorus is spot-on, holding some of the same elements from the acoustic beginning but never seem content with staying stationery. “Okay” and “Strawdka” are softer songs with steady pacing, eventually bringing both hypnotic and powerful vocals. Both songs have very catchy and infectious choruses, which is a staple of the JV Allstars catalog.

“Hope IS A Good Thing!” is a short love message to friends and fans. Coming in at under a minute in duration the song is a locomotive, keeping a steady pace sonically only to be accented by the vocal theatrics throughout the entire song. Not to be confused with “Hope Is A Good Thing???” which starts as a relentless pop-punk song, mixing in fast and heavy melodies with movements of slower and more powerful elements. “Prevention Kids” features guest vocals from I Call Fives’ Josh Todd, who also nails his vocals in a somewhat contrasting style to those of JVA. The song starts out with a great riff, is propelled by the melodies, the dueling vocals are a fantastic touch, finally highlighted by a solo-breakdown.

“03*02*09” features some interesting touches that are hinted at on other songs, but come center stage on this one. The vocals keep a separate melody from the other parts of the song, acting like their own instrument throughout the song. Using a fast-to-melodic formula for the vocals is a great fit for the mood of the song, accented by an upbeat melody and guitars. “Dollars And Sense” brings hypnotic vocals with melodic guitars and a catchy chorus. The track is a more polished version of a Rivercourt song (fun fact: Colby Sanchez, guitarist and lead vocals from Rivercourt is now the bassist for JVA), which becomes much more than just a touched-up version of the original.

The album ends with “Bestsummerever” and “Summon The Rat”. The former keeps a recurring theme of songs on the album, the melodic guitars mixed with accenting guitars throughout the song. Group vocals end the song with a very homely vibe, closing the track with a wholesome atmosphere. The latter’s rhythmic guitars match the rhythm of the vocals, reflecting the mood of the song. The song serves as a love note to the friends, family, and fans of the band. Ending with a lasting reverb is a perfect ending to the album, giving a nostalgic feeling to the listener. “Summon The Rat” contains a short hidden song about the local music scene and the love that is contained within it.

While the second half of the album doesn’t have the more memorable songs on it, every one of them adds to the theme of the record. From start to finish, you can’t find a bad song on the album, which is a rarity these days. When music has taken a turn with what is popular and what is successful, it’s reassuring to know that there is a band out there that still makes homage to their idols (Homegrown) while still bringing hope and passion to the bands that are up-and-coming. This album serves as a love note to all that the band holds dear and while listening to it you receive every ounce of that love. The JV Allstars coined the phrase “best friend-core” and there’s nothing like listening to this album while being surrounded by the people you love most.

Recommended Listens: "Side By Side", "Dollar Menu Date Night", "Prevention Kids", "Hope IS A Good Thing"

Recommended If You Like: Homegrown, New Found Glory, I Call Fives

Verdict: 9 / 10

Came Out Swinging: The Words of Dan "Soupy" Campbell

It seems every time that there is an artist that connects on a grandiose level and can actively relate with fans, people are quick to apply the label: "voice of a generation". Elvis, The Beatles, Kurt Cobain, those are the prominent candidates for the title of their respective generations. If you really look at the timeline of music, each generation would have about five "voices". But the current culture of youth and rebellion are prone to these sorts of discussions. During a time of continental recession, economic power struggles, and worldwide protest; people seem to be struggling to grasp onto hope and lack an active voice to represent the voiceless. Even the people who proceed to stay introverted and fail to grasp the environment around them still suffer the personal struggles that have plagued the most inspiring individuals. Once upon a time, people believed that their prince would appear and save them from the hardship plaguing their hopeful mentality, but those times come and go with age. Then there comes a man that singlehandedly shares his thoughts and fears with you one second, then shares his loves and hopes the next.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to shield my admiration and reverence for Daniel Campbell, and I'm certainly not referring to him as the voice of this generation. I don't claim to be the epitome of my, or any generation, but if there can be one person that I am able to relate to and appreciate, then perhaps others have the same beliefs about the same person. So why in a world with intellectuals, millionaires, and revolutionaries does one musician possess so much influence? It could be the way that he speaks: sounding like a very modest and unobtrusive man with prominent mentalities. Maybe it's the way that he acts on stage: exploring every inch of the stage and slightly more beyond, basking in the crowd's immense support and audio reproduction of every last word he sings. There's a chance it's just his personality: a soft-spoken English graduate who likes fantasy football, professional wrestling, and punk music. Or, you know, it could be his writing.

Growing up in suburban Philadelphia, Dan "Soupy" Campbell was just another kid with broad aspirations. He became the lead singer of a band that became known as The Wonder Years. After two years and two splits, the Wonder Years released Get Stoked On It!, a collection of whimsical keyboard infused pop-punk songs that Campbell now refers to as "fucking abysmal" and refuses to play songs from. The fallout from the album has led Campbell to have great disdain for "seven inch kids"--a play on the old EP kids adage for fans who constantly say "I was listening to this band when (insert obscure release here)" and claim a clearly inferior album is band's finest. So how has a guy who made a very capricious (and in retrospect, very comedic) debut, become a talking idol? The change is found on the next Wonder Years release, a four-song EP including one instrumental, Won't Be Pathetic Forever.

The second track "Solo and Chewy: Holdin' It Down" is where the change is immediately noticed, blending together the effervescent mentality on their debut and a biographical self-analysis. Then there are two songs that give you a clear representation of where the band is headed. The title track speaks of a discontent and sorrowful love-hate relationship with the city around him, culminating in the band chanting "I fucking love this town / I fucking hate this town". Along with the melancholy comes the optimistic, the words resonating whenever Soupy sings "I refuse to sink". Then there's "You're Not Salinger. Get Over It", the middle finger to people who are holding society back from its natural evolution. The track also serves as a helpful note to those who listen, with the band chanting "Chin up and we'll drown a little slower" at the end of the song. This new pessimist-optimist back-and-forth worked on three songs, but how would it stand up on a full-length? The world found out on The Upsides.

Soupy stated that the theme for their new full-length would be about facing obstacles and not allowing the people or troubles you face daily to get you down. That theme culminates on the lead-off track of an album. No matter if it's an instrumental, poetic introduction, or a straight for-the-throat starting point. "My Last Semester" serves as a picture of the college experience from today's perspective. The first thing you hear on The Upsides is Soupy singing the theme of the entire album: "I'm not sad anymore, I'm just tired of the place. The weight of the world would be okay if it would pick a shoulder to lean on so I could stand up straight." The soft, subtle singing quickly erupts with the rest of the song, but the honesty never waivers. In the follow-up song, "Logan Circle", Soupy expresses to us that he finds hope out of no hope at all and quickly conveys that optimism with his opening line: "They turned on the fountain today at Logan Circle, I felt something in me change".

Of course with playing in a touring band come the struggles with being on the road and having to put yourself out there in relation to the fans. In "New Year's Eve With Carl Weathers" Soupy speaks about the pains the road takes on someone and how the good can come from that, while "Hotels And Brothels" is about the European tour that The Wonder Years was on and the longing for a home that occurred while being so far away from it. The tracks "Melrose Diner" and "Hey Thanks" are direct letters to an ex-girlfriend who Soupy says has the kindest heart, but still the realization of seeing her embrace another man is very unnerving. Having said all of that, there are songs on the album that Soupy doesn't pull punches on. "This Party Sucks" is a statement on the current culture of the party scene, referencing the people as lifeless and refusing to take part in a land of excess where the participants are all virtually comatose. Nothing on that song, however, can compare with the non-stop ruthless verbal onslaught that Campbell delivers on "Dynamite Shovel". On this 64 second sonic attack, Soupy delivers the verbal middle-finger to "people who use religion as a crutch for hatred and bigotry". In one of the selected phrases, Campbell says: "You can hide behind a bible, but we still know you're fucks. Inbreeding can claim this one, so chalk it up. These small town minds stay small".

The last pledge of hope that Soupy delivers to us on The Upsides, a semi-concept album about--what Soupy would later say--"not about forcing happiness, it's about not letting sadness win", is "Washington Square Park". Campbell interrupts a blistering guitar riff on the song with the first lines: "I'm looking for the upsides to these panic attack nights, while I'm staying in eating take-out food by T.V. light". By the end of the song Soupy has convinced us that despite being in direct competition with your thinking patterns, everything eventually improves and you would then see the world in a brighter light. With one album, Dan Campbell not only relates to the masses, but helps them with his own set of inspirational material. In the ultimate show of solidarity, the album closes with a group of friends singing the same message that started the album and became the motto for fan base: "I'm not sad anymore, I'm just tired of this place. If this year would just end, I think we'd all be okay".

The next year was spent on the road, with The Wonder Years hopping on tours with the likes of Streetlight Manifesto, New Found Glory, Set Your Goals, Comeback Kid, and an Australian tour with Tonight Alive. It was during this time that they started writing the follow-up to their breakthrough success album. A pivotal European tour with Good Charlotte and Four Years Strong was the last foreign tour that the band embarked on, providing a larger overseas audience and Dan Campbell some new challenges to face. Finally, a short tour with Fireworks and Such Gold was arranged, where the band debut a few new songs and finished writing the new record. On that tour, Such Gold and Fireworks were forced to drop off and This Time Next Year joined to finish out the rest of the leg. It was shortly after the tour completed that the band announced they would be releasing a new album in the summer that is essentially a love letter to Alan Ginsberg and a staple in time of where the band was mentally. In the same moment we were introduced to Suburbia: I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing.

From the very start, Dan Campbell was unapologetic and unwavering in his admiration for Ginsberg. When asked about his inspiration, Campbell would essentially go on rants about how Ginsberg's writings and musings would be almost identical to today's culture and his personal mental culture. Putting his labor of love together would spawn a deeply personal album that is, also musically, the most adventurous record the band has ever released. From the moment you hit play or drop the needle on the record, all of the emphatic energy strikes. The first noises stressed on the record is the audio tape of Ginsberg's "America" (from which the title of the album is based), with the lines being "My mind is made up" and "There's going to be trouble", repeated. Soupy breaks through the building guitars with a furious passion on a song about the exhaustion of touring and the adjustments made when the touring stops. Summarizing the experience in the lines: "I spent a whole year in airports and the floor feels like home" and "I'm running on empty and the late nights and the long drives start to get to me, I'm just so tired", Soupy explains his position with nothing more than a voice and his attempt at self-explanation. No part of the song ever waivers from the brutal honesty of his journey, especially the closing line of the chorus: "I spent this year as a ghost and I'm not sure where home is anymore".

A subject on Upsides was exploring the relationship of an ex-girlfriend ("Melrose Diner", "Hey Thanks"), also a subject that doesn't go untouched on Suburbia. "Woke Up Older" takes the listener through a journey is almost more about maturity and rationalization than about any girl. Also, Soupy blends some of his personal affects into the song (Bukowski novel, Blacklisted LP) and contests that the song is also a love letter to The Mountain Goats. All of those subjects are blended together to make a personal time-capsule into a song about a girl, "Hey Jess, I watched you wake up and get dressed. Left the room, reseeded like my hairline". The next song to appear on the album is possibly the most directly biographical of the album. Referencing songs from Upsides, Soupy tells us that some people missed the point of the previous album. In interviews and on the album, Campbell tells us that his last record wasn't about "forcing happiness, it's about not letting sadness win". On "Local Man Ruins Everything" Soupy expresses how his depression returned with new problems and relapsing issues.

The short "Suburbia", is a trip through the hometown that Soupy grew up knowing but after years of touring has changed dramatically. In this 51-second song, Campbell expresses to us that everything changes and we can't stay dormant. Picking the tempo up again "My Life As A Pigeon", there is different sediment about being in a band than we've heard from Campbell in the past. Whenever you hear him talk about his fans and the life of touring, Soupy will be the first to tell you that there is no experience like it and that all the fans keep him grounded and loved. On this track, Campbell deals with the negative aspect of the people who will shun you out, a new attitude that we hadn't seen or heard from Soupy before. The following track takes a complete turn and talks about the fun of socializing and making bad decisions with friends. Soupy explains that "Summers In PA" is as simple as you can take life, there's no feeling like being with good friends and making bad decisions. Now, we see the most controversial track on the album, "I Won't Say The Lord's Prayer". On this song, Campbell writes his thoughts about religion, saying that he means no disrespect to the friends he has who are religious. In Christianity, one of the laws is there is no other god than yours, Soupy pleads that he is making the same sort of stance but with no god of his own. The song is well written and I will not quote it, for it is better in full context.

On the song "Coffee Eyes", Soupy goes through a run of nostalgia for the place where he grew up, and talks about the people who made it special for him. That subject matter is something that we can all understand and sympathize with. "I've Given You All" sets a scene more than it is a song, with Campbell telling us a story about an old homeless war veteran that was beaten to death in the park around his neighborhood. Next there's "Don't Let Me Cave In", a song about how you dream of one day moving away and getting to where you think that you belong, but in some ways the place you are at was where you belonged all along. Taking cues from his real-life struggle with possibly moving from Philadelphia to Chicago, Soupy lays out his situation and inevitably touches base with everyone who has experienced the same thing. "You Made Me Want To Be A Saint" is a touching song written about a friend who passed away while the band was on tour in August of 2010, relating to many who have suffered through the same experience. The following "Hoodie Weather" blends a feeling of no matter where you are there will be problems to face and you have to face them head on with one of maturing. The stand-out line "Growing up means watching my heroes turn human in front of me. The songs we wrote at 18 seem short sided and naive...as fucked as this place got, it made me, me" incorporates all of its parts into a stunningly touching line of writing.

Finally, there is "Now I'm Nothing", a song that encompasses the entire back catalog and experiences the band and Campbell have endured. The track is quotes Ginsberg's poem "America" many times, including the last line "I'm putting my shoulder to the wheel". As a whole, the song serves as a status update of where the band, and Soupy, is at in their music and mentally. Despite the entire album being deeply personal, this song is the culmination of everything that came before it and expresses a great sense of optimism drenched in sorrow, and is the most adventurous song that Soupy has written to date.

In a way, people have become turned off by how autobiographical and honest Dan Campbell is with his writing. They have hurled hatred towards the band and what Soupy stands for as a whole. Some see a man standing tall with his friends at his side and emotions held in check with emotionally powered lyrics as a common occurrence and dismiss him as the a character who is no more special than the average singer in a pop-punk band. Others have said that Soupy's writing was at its best when he wasn't writing about his own personal problems and that his lyrics were better when whimsical. All of those people dismiss the progress of a human being and reject the notion of supporting a man who plays in a "mediocre-to-shitty pop-punk band". Speaking honestly, as he always does, Dan "Soupy" Campbell wouldn't have it any other way.

Tom Waits - Bad As Me

For forty years there has been one man constantly reinventing himself. Like an immortal chameleon he has changed his colors and stripes with every album that he has made. From the smokey nightclubs of the 70's to the amphitheaters of today, the setting in which the music is played, not only compliments the music, but seems to be intertwined within it. He is little known outside his cult following and goes by his given name, Tom Waits. His work has been covered by what seems like everyone in music, from The Eagles to Alex Chilton. Scarlett Johansson even made a cover album that consisted of almost entirely Tom Waits. The life story of Waits will take years to be told (he said it won't be until he's at the end of his rope), and he rarely gives interviews. So the closest to an inside look lies in his music, which should be good enough for just about everybody.

Starting out his career with Closing Time, Waits was a 23-year old youth with a passion for lounges and jazz. Just a year later he released the fitting follow-up Heart Of Saturday Night, bringing a sense of folk and blues to the jazz clubs and small rooms in which he routinely played. It was at this moment that his music took a turn onto the path that we hear today. 1975's Nighthawks At The Diner starts out like the smooth jazz we were used to, but Waits' smooth and sultry voice had been transformed into something comparable to gargling Johnnie Walker, thumbtacks, and hair spray whilst smoking four packs of cigarettes. Since that moment his music has evolved from the back alley jazz to the blues, to the experimental, to the point where no genre could ever really comprehend it. Tom Waits transcends genres and his music raises beyond any sort of label. If someone were to ask you "What does he sound like?", you would have to put on one of his records and say "This". Nearly forty years has passed, and he's still pushing music.

Tom Waits - Bad As Me

As soon as the record begins to play, the insanity begins. A great horn riff layered on top of different instruments, Tom Waits is the conductor on the train leading us in "Chicago". The song stays in the same mood and tone until the ending where the train begins to leave the station and Waits is screaming "All aboard!". The follow-up is "Raised Right Man" which, broken down to its core, is a song comprised of just Waits' voice and the percussion keeping rhythm; just like a brush drum beat to the songs he used to sing off of Small Change (i.e. "Step Right Up"). The production gives a deep and gritty feel while other instruments join in later on. In a nutshell, this song exemplifies the career of Tom Waits over the last decade. A rough production, harsh vocals, and the pinpoint-accurate accompaniment.

Representing the early years of his career is "Talking At The Same Time". The vocals shy away from the snarl and become a higher ranged sound. In the chorus when Waits sings "...and every body's talking at the same time", it's as if the music is playing on an old Depression-era silent movie and the vocals are the cold breeze brushing up against exposed skin. The subject matter tackles some more current issues as Waits sings "We bail out all of the millionaires, they got my fruit and my dime". In a more upbeat track, "Get Lost" comes to us like a playful bounce of a song. The vocal melody sounds like a roller coaster, going up and down and changing inflection, a prolific tactic that Tom Waits has used over the years. Next up is "Face To The Highway". The song comes in a very decrepit tone, playing very slowly throughout and relying mostly on very enchanting guitars. A very pretty song, but it takes a backseat to me compared to some of the other songs like it on the album.


"Pay Me" comes at you in a very accordion-heavy duet with piano, sounding a lot like a late night in Italy. The song, while maybe not intending to be, is as if Tom is reflecting on his life. When Tom starts singing "They pay me not to go home..." there is a genuine sense of sadness and self-empathy. All of this continues to the fantastic ending where Waits' tone has matches the mood of forfeit. Another slow paced song, "Back In The Crowd", follows. With just a guitar and vocals, this song relies on Waits' crooning abilities. It may not sound like Sinatra, but Tom Waits has an uncanny ability to make his voice fit in any song and for it to sound near perfect. This somber-toned is the direct sequel to "Pay Me", advancing the sadness and self-reflection that came before it.

The title track brings the tempo back up with its gritty atmosphere. "Bad As Me" sounds like some of the more recent work Waits has done, but features something seldom heard on any of his catalog. While most of the album sounds as if it is being played through a tin can and string, there's a moment where the vocals shift to a crystal clear tone and Waits' voice becomes a low address to the listener. "Kiss Me" is a piano-bass-vocal structured song that embraces the "gritty jazz-revival" that Waits has been nearly the sole member of for the past decade. It's in this song that the lyrics get somewhat personal again, hearing Waits slowly speak out "kiss me like a stranger once again".

One of my favorites on the album and possibly Tom Waits song in general is "Satisfied". The vocals sound like a Waits-take on a Jim Morrison vocal track, and there's a distinct feel that the song could have fit perfectly on the 1999 release Mule Variations (my personal favorite Waits album). The horns and keyboards take over during the vocal break near the end and push the song to its fitting ending. Then "Last Leaf" starts to play and immediately it sounds like something off of 1992's Bone Machine. Vocally the album is really soft, not a lot of singing and when there is it sounds like whispering. The guitar plays a sort of lullaby and creates quite the lovely tone.

The gates to hell open up on "Hell Broke Luce", Waits' take on the war and military. The rhythm is moving and it creates a sort of fun atmosphere with Waits' vocals reciting like an army captain. The powerful chorus comes in after you get to hear the line "how many ways can you polish up a turd". In the ending there's gunfire and more commands, until it dwindles down into silence. The closer "New Year's Eve" is a stripped down, romantic song with a soft melody. This song is a very easy-listen and is quite the fitting ending to the album. In what may be a note to his lovely wife; Waits keeps a lot bottled up, but exercises a few of his demons and puts them to bed with this beautiful closing track.

After hearing the album a few times and letting it all sink in, a lot can change from your first impressions. Just like every other album Tom Waits has done, you discover new things with each listen. Some tracks get better, some tracks start to fade, but there is no instance of a "bad song". Blending together the influences and sounds of the past twenty years, Tom Waits has released what sounds like a mix of Mule Variations and Bone Machine, with an eclectic paprika on top. All of the ingredients used in the recipe has baked his best work in 12 years.

Recommended Listens: "Chicago", "Talking At The Same Time", "Satisfied", "Hell Broke Luce"

Recommended If You Like: Tom Waits, alternative-jazz-revival-grit, songwriting

Verdict: 9 / 10

Transit - Listen & Forgive

There comes a time when an artist makes an album that is a perfect time capsule for when it was made. Some records have that sense of hope and beginning, which works well in the spring. Some records are happy-go-lucky with upbeat tones and work perfectly in summer (i.e. Yellowcard). Then there's the albums that have a mystique to them in a more somber tone that seem to work well in autumn. Other records have that powerful push to them and sense of discontent, which is how most of us feel in winter. This is one of those autumn albums. It's difficult to describe but you know it when you hear it, and that's what having a great attatchment to music is like. You can't quite put together why an album makes things feel the way it does, but you know it once you hear it.

Set among their peers, Transit is always talked about in the same pop-punk discussion as bands like Man Overboard, This Time Next Year, The Wonder Years, The Flatliners, etc., but on this album you can tell that they aren't happy with just being a part of the scene and that is clearly evident on their new album, Listen & Forgive. The songs you would hear on their previous album, Keep This To Yourself, were ones in the same vein as a pop-punk album, but the lines were clear; they were not to be lumped into any category. There isn't constant double-beat melodies or driving locomotive rhythms, the album plays out like an indie album made by a punk band. Transit takes that to the next level on their release.

Transit - Listen & Forgive

The record starts out with the track "You Can't Miss It (It's Everywhere)", setting the mood early for the album. Very upbeat intro with beautiful guitar work in the verse that transitions smoothly to the chorus melody and weaves as such throughout the song. Prime example of where Transit seperate themselves from their peers is on this track in the chorus. When other bands would build up to a sing-a-long friendly upbeat chorus, Transit instead works in a melodic lull that isn't immediatly catchy or uplifting, but is easy croon along with. The song features extensive backing vocals, which can be also said for the entire album.


From the start, the opening track encapsulizes what the entire album is about to bring: an abnormal landscape of an album that is built on a post-punk handbook. This album more than their previous releases, blends their influences together into a sound that is all their own. Melting a mix of Death Cab For Cutie, Bayside, American Football, and Hot Water Music; the album seems very content with what it is and rightfully so, it is a great listen. When talking about the album I'd group a few songs together to let you know what the songs collectively sound like. On this album however, I simply cannot do that. Each song is different, builds upon the one before it, improves the songscape that the album creates piece by piece.

"Long Lost Friends" starts out the same: with an intriguing guitar riff that keeps the atmosphere. The vocals and drums on this song compliment each other and are the two stand-out points. How the beat matches the melody of the vocals with the atmospheric guitar below it creates the autumn tone and blends to the chorus where the song comes together, embracing all of its parts. Next up is the title track, "Listen And Forgive", that starts out slower and keeps the mellow tone throughout. Featuring more extensive gang vocals throughout, the song is extremely vocally driven and the raw emotional power given off by the entire band's vocals summerizes the labor of love that this album is. "All Your Heart" is the first song on the album with guitarist Tim Landers doing lead vocals instead of primary vocalist, Joe Boynton. That change works extremely well, giving the song a different, more somber tone. The guitar work is still very admirable, the chorus is still something you'd sing with your friends, and the song weaves through the verses, the choruses, and the breakdown; building up to the ending.

Just like the drum-vocal melody before it, "Asleep At The Wheel" features more guitar-vocal melodies that makes it feel like an acoustic song. The track stays very mellow and is perfect for the ambient feel of autumn on the album. Having said all of that for the album so far, now is when it gets better. "Cutting Corners" may be my favorite track, using a different kind of intro and taking the rhythm they had before and then turning it up a little bit. The chorus is as close to pop-punk as the album gets and the guitar theatrics throughout the chorus, pre-chorus, and verses works very well. It's a shame that it's the shortest song on the album, but it ends very fittingly with a group vocal. "Skipping Stone" is the albums lone acoustic song about moving on and analyzing life. The mix of guitars sounds phenomenal, even as they take a backseat to the vocals most of the song. For nearly the entire track the band sings along, giving the more intimate feel that fits in so well on the album.

"I Think I Know" brings the pace back up at the start but lulls into a very ambient verse, building a very atmospheric sound to the album. Easily the most adventurous song on the album, the vocals don't seem strained and when the band gets involved in them, the song really takes off. It is at this point that you see an intimate, almost nostalgic, theme begins to form on the album. This can also be heard on "Don't Make A Sound", which builds from the verses to the choruses but keeps the rhythm and tone to what comes across as almost a waltz. The song's breakdown could be one of the brightest points on the entire album, holding onto the mellow tone until the track ends. If there is any song on this record that seems the most personal, it would be "1978". Very vocally driven, the song picks up to an anthemic, yet mellow, chorus with dual-vocal harmonies. The guitars work as a complimentary piece and the drumming is very tight, allowing the vocals to soar throughout the song, even with all of the different movements. Upon hearing it, this track just feels like an extremely personal song of longing and life, twisting through different movements and experiences.

"Over Your Head" starts the same way. Working a waltz-esque tone to a slow-yet-steady chorus, the song stays very mellow until the breakdown, which builds until it is an emotionally driven shout. The song also ends very strong by holding out the last few notes, as if to say that the song personifies all they have. Finally, it is make or break time, the closing track. "The Answer Comes In Time", encapsulates every little intricacy that the album ever featured: the guitar introductions, the group vocals, the slow and powerful breakdown, this song just shouts out "CLOSER" to you. The tone of the track is like a triumphant stance of what it has gone through, despite not sounding like it accomplished complete victory.

Overall the album is one of the best I've heard in a long time. I didn't consider myself a huge fan going into listening to it, but coming out I am a complete convert. This is an album that is falling leaves and a brisk breeze in stereo. I never used the word "fun" to describe the album, but it is. This is a really fun album that will be fun to play and sing along to with friends in a mellow atmosphere. Capturing the spirit of the season, Listen & Forgive has established Transit as a band that doesn't deserve to be lumped into genres, because they have already transcended everyone people have put them in.

Recommneded Tracks: "Cutting Corners", "I Think I Know", "1978"

Recommended If You Like: "The Big Deep" by The Sleeping, "The Glass Passenger" by Jack's Mannequin, "Suburbia..." by The Wonder Years

Verdict: 8.5 / 10

New Found Glory - Radiosurgery

It was under ten years ago that my oldest brother took me under his wing and took me to my first gig. He was a freshman in college here in Lincoln at the University and I was just 12 years-old, a bright eyed sixth grader. He came back for a weekend to pick me up in his 2001 Ford Focus that we called the "bumblebee" for its goldish-yellow color. The destination was Pershing Auditorium and the mission was to see New Found Glory. It was at this show that I believe my life changed. The pure energy and excitement that came erupting out off that band and the crowd got to me, and perhaps changed the way I look at life.

Return to present-day Lincoln, where I have now lived for three years. In the time since my first encounter with New Found Glory, I have seen them live five times. Which is a lot considering that sports in high school limited my engagement to shows. They have just released their seventh album and are on my schedule to see on their upcoming tour. So you can understand why I have a critical eye on this band. With their new album comes excitement, optimism, and a review.

New Found Glory - Radiosurgery

The album starts off with the first single/title track. This is the prime example of what the new album encompasses as a whole sound. Following the conventional formula of song structure, the track radiates a "Dookie"-vibe. At first listen, it didn't hit me, but after listening to it a few times you can see where the song could have fit on any early Green Day album. Still very fun and catchy, NFG put their stamp on every song they make, and give us a late-summer anthem.

The next few songs are my favorites on the album. "Anthem Of The Unwanted" and "Drill It In My Brain" are both vintage New Found Glory with an upbeat, charisma to the music and toned-down catchy chorus. "I'm Not The One" brings back the gang vocals with a hardcore breakdown and different movements with composition. "Dumped" is a very musical locomotive, vintage NFG song with a catchy upbeat chorus and a noteworthy ending.

It's at that point where the album takes a slight downturn. "Summer Fling, Don't Mean A Thing" is a somewhat forgettable, cookie-cutter song, that sounds like it could be a b-side off of Coming Home. "Caught In The Act" and "Trainwreck" share the same fate. It's not a complete knock on slower songs, or less musically driven songs, but in some cases the efforts just seem lazy. Such is the case here. The songs don't capture attention the first time and make it very easy to skip ahead to the next songs on the album that are a lot less forgetful.

The few bright points on the back half of the album, "Memories And Battle Scars" and "Map Of Your Body" don't do enough to resurrect the album from the doldrums. Coming out with strong riffs, very catchy choruses, and notably well executed breakdowns, the songs hold your attention and almost force you to sing along. In the case of the album closer, "Map Of Your Body", the breakdown takes the form of a sort of lullaby. As soon as the breakdown ends, the song shoots off like a rocket back to the catchy chorus for the ending.

Overall, the album features a few good songs, a few decent ones, and a few forgettable ones. I recognize that at some points I may sound like I want them to recreate their self-titled album or Sticks And Stones, but I know that what goes into making an album can't be reproduced and getting repeated success on albums is extremely difficult. NFG came back from a lackluster showing with Not Without A Fight, an album I very much enjoyed. Time will tell if I enjoy Radiosurgery as much as I did with NWAF that came before it, but it's not looking good. For fans of old-school Green Day who haven't gotten into New Found Glory (if those people exist) should give this album a listen. If you're a hardcore New Found Glory fan, you should listen to this album because it's the exact things you've come to like in them. But in the long run, the album hits the target a few times not enough and lets the lacking parts last too long.

Recommended Tracks: "Anthem Of The Unwanted", "I'm Not The One", "Dumped"

Recommended If You Like: New Found Glory, Dookie

Verdict: 5.5/10

This Time Next Year - Drop Out Of Life

In 2009, This Time Next Year burst onto the scene with a full-length powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline (just watched Blues Brothers). Taking their name from the Movielife album, This Time Next Year came out of nowhere to release on of the best pop-punk albums of that year, as well as one of the best modern pop-punk releases. Road Maps And Heart Attacks took cues from legends of the scene as well as TTNY's peers to formulate a record enjoyable from start to finish. Two years later, how does the band mature and does it suffer from the sophomore slump on Drop Out Of Life? Let's find out.

The closest thing to Road Maps And Heart Attacks can be found on the lead, title track, "Drop Out Of Life". The song starts out strong and follows the new pop-punk formula to a tee. The anthem-like chorus is something that crowds will be singing back to the band on every stop of every show. From there, the album takes an unexpected turn. The rest of the album is generally mellow with not a lot of the power or aggression we came to expect from their previous releases. The track "Better Half" resonates something that would be on a Starting Line album and it becomes evident that the band took cues from the album's producer, Chad Gilbert (guitarist from New Found Glory). The New Found Glory influence also shines on "Get It, Got It, Good", which rings reminiscent of the NFG song "Don't Let Her Pull You Down". Songs like "Living Hell" and "Matchbook" bring the 'friend-core' aspect of pop-punk, with a potent nostalgia feeling when listening to the song, as if it makes you remember the times you've spent with friends.

In a nutshell the album can be summarized with songs like "Modern Day Love Story" and "My Side Of Town". Catchy choruses, but extremely mellow with somewhat of a waltz tone to them. Other than "mellow" the other big 'M' word for this album is "melody". Neat vocal melodies are shown throughout the majority of this record, with "Spoontonic" being the prime example of this. The vocals never rest on a certain note or range, they are always moving swiftly back and forth, using different "riffs" and using the vocals almost like another instrument.

It's been said before by me that the opener to an album is the most important, and then the ending. This album starts with its strongest foot forward and ends with a song that isn't one of the finest, but clearly the greatest choice for closing track. "This Is An Airport Train" has a stand-out guitar tone throughout the entire song to go with the perfect mix of vocals, lyrics, and overall band tone. The lyrics speak of moving on and carrying the torch of living, which is complimented by the "traveling" tone of the music accompanying the words. It's an uplifting song that speaks of previous depression that has been turned to hope.

Overall, the album is (at least for me) a disappointment compared to their previous release. Maybe it's because this is a much mellower album and doesn't pack the same punch, but it seems like that's what This Time Next Year is best at. A few songs pack the same powerful sonic punch that was found on their previous album, but they are few and far between. Maybe Drop Out Of Life isn't the same breed of monster as we're used to from the band, but it also may be the next logical step in maturing. Maturity is a four letter word in the pop-punk world, but these guys speak of going through the gauntlet and that can do a lot to a man.

Recommended Tracks: "Drop Out Of Life", "Get It, Got It, Good", "This Is An Airport Train"

Recommended If You Like: New Found Glory, The Starting Line, old All Time Low

Verdict: 6 / 10

Man Overboard - Man Overboard

There comes a time when an album is recorded, mixed, mastered, pressed, and released all at the perfect time for that particular album. The time for Man Overboard's new self-titled album is the exact day that it is released. With a vintage pop-punk sound mixed with some powerful guitar work, this band has proven that their previous release, Real Talk, was not a fluke.

I have always said that a key factor in my way of reviewing albums is the way it begins. The way that an album starts out can either express what the following songs will be like, or introduce you to the music like a prologue. In the manner of Man Overboard, the opener fires out with an exhilerating rush of frantic drums and locomotive guitars. One of my favorite tracks on the album, "Rare" is the kind of album opener that personifies what the old-school pop-punk scene was about: the catchy anthemic chorus with likable melodies. The melody on this track changes from verse to chorus, seeming somewhat sloppy at first, but after a few listens it appears more polished.

Songs like "Teleport" and "Picture Perfect" seem to dial back the tone, but still not embracing the slow dance aesthetic. The track "Voted Most Likely" is the kind of song that is belted out by you and your car full of friends driving in the city at night. One of the standout components in this album is how the melody of the rhythm and lead guitars don't sync, and neither do the vocals and rhythm guitar. It's as if the rhythm guitars are on a whole different riff, but keeping the same general rhythm and tone as the rest of the song. "Something's Weird", "Headstone", and "Punishment" are great examples of this. "Spunn" is a notable track on this album for its "time capsule" feel, because it has a noticable aura of an old-school punk song despite a short piano interlude in the middle of the song.

While the beginning of the album is a landmark of a great album, the ending is also highly important to see if it fits in the general aspect of the album and summerizes the feel of the music. "Night Feelings" is a fun song that encorporates the melodic chorus, guitar-heavy intro and breakdown, as well as an abrubt ending that fits the song uniformly. Ultimately, the end of the album comes with "Atlas", a slow and building song with more emotional vocals than is heard on most of the album. The song culminates with an orchestra of power and energy as the final note rings through the speakers until it finally fades away.

Man Overboard's previous release took me awhile to get into, but once I fully came to enjoy it, the album was one of my more played records at the time. This time around, Man Overboard struck me immediatly and has commanded great control over my speakers. On rare occassion will you have an album that is back-heavy (with some of the best songs later on the track listing), but this record has most of its bright points on the later half. It's a fun album that encorporates everything that is great about pop-punk. It may not be a genre altering release, but it is a record that stands among some of the elite of it's kind right now and has secured the band a spot among the best right now.

Recommended Tracks: "Rare", "Headstone", "Spunn", "Night Feelings"

Recommended If You Like: The Wonder Years, New Found Glory, Pop-punk

Rating: 8 / 10

Bring On The Sunburn

Sorry about the lack of correspondence, I just recently moved into a new apartment and it has taken me a few days to get everything situated.

Another big issue is the lack of anticipated releases in the last few weeks. Everything for the rest of the year is going to becoming out in the fall and so the last few weeks have been somewhat lackluster. Having said that, there will be reviews and articles written about a few new releases including Set Your Goals' "Burning At Both Ends", and Portugal The Man's "In The Mountain In The Cloud".

But before any of that, a friend (and bandmate) of mine and I are going to attend the Council Bluffs, IA stop on the Warped Tour. It's been awhile since my last time attending a show (All Time Low/Hey Monday/Yellowcard to be exact), so I anticipate a fun time. We will try and take pictures and come back with stories. Excited to get to see Set Your Goals again, extremely excited to see The Dangerous Summer play new material live, and finally brimming with excitement to see The Wonder Years kill it again. This may be a trip that makes me go broke, but it's one that is much needed.

New Music: Blink 182 - "Up All Night"

Expect a new article coming soon, including a review of the new Damnwells album, No One Listens To The Band Anymore.

In the mean time, here is the new single from Blink 182. Any album details are still unknown, but the first hint of new music is very encouraging. Clearly a departure from their previous style, it will be interesting to see what this album sounds like.

Blink 182 - "Up All Night"

The Dangerous Summer - War Paint

For years the build-up happened, waiting for a group of high school kids to release their first full-length album. First came There Is No Such Thing As Science, that brought the record deal from Hopeless Records. Soon the band re-released the EP If You Could Only Keep Me Alive, featuring a few new songs. With graduation just around the corner the band began recording that first full-length. Eventually the record was released and what was born was 2009's success story, Reach For The Sun. Now with fans around the world the band had expectations to live up to. After two years and multiple hardships to overcome, finally came the hype-filled locomotive that we now know as War Paint. The band I speak of, of course, is The Dangerous Summer.

The Dangerous Summer - War Paint

Like an atom bomb dropped from a jet airliner, the record starts blasting chords and rhythms into your brain. Mixing accent guitar riffs with the rhythm, the guitars make a mixture that complement each other and shoot into a spiritual sonic atmosphere. The lyrics set the standard for what will be sung throughout the entire album. A swift blend of philosophical ideas with the interpersonal relationships we all deal with on a daily basis. The title track, "War Paint", is a compression of the overall impression of the record. Catchy choruses, intelligent lyrics, infectious guitars, intoxicating rhythms, and the desire to not stop listening. The ability to tear down the song and build it back up is exercised more than once on this track, and each time it is done perfectly.

The first single on the album, "Work In Progress", starts with a riff that carries on throughout the song. Nearly the entire duration of the track involves building off of the riff, slowly with layer after layer of guitars, bass, drums, and vocals. The payoff comes in the choruses, where the band summons their creative powers and like a Zord, the cohesive sound is much more powerful than divided. Eventually the song appears to have burned itself out, but the vocals still power through the final fade out, screaming lines from the chorus. Next we have one of my favorites off the record, "No One's Gonna Need You More". Starting off with upbeat drums and a whisking rhythm that keeps the song moving at near dance-track speeds. The vocals themselves have an infectious rhythm to them, making it that much easier to sing along. The guitars never really come to the forefront, instead opting for a complementary role to the rhythm section, which is a refreshing change to the band's usual pace. The song finishes with a build-up that eventually dips back down into the chorus, never breaking the locomotive of drums and bass that powered the song from the start.

The next song was released as a single nearly a year ago, but was re-recorded for the new album. "Good Things" starts with less of an intro than it initially had and gets right into the opening verse. Working off the initial recording of the song, the choruses have become much more epic, and have become much more of a complete band experience. This song acts as a counter-point of hope and prosperity to "Work In Progress"'s message of depression and anguish. Next we have "Siren", the supreme song in a lyrical sense. The guitar riff acts as siren and stays constant throughout nearly the entire song. The choruses are uplifting and powerful, but they are nothing compared to the final verse. Working as an ultimate letter of longing love, the final verse is what you would have if you were to empty a person's soul onto sheet music. Not even then, however, would you be able to reproduce the passion you feel circulate up until the final note.

While on their tour with Sparks The Rescue and The Graduate, The Dangerous Summer debuted the next track "Everyone Left". In a strange turn of events, this track features guitars working in pure rhythm with drums doing the accenting notes. Again, the song seems to be constantly building and absolutely never content with the direction it's headed. With cohesive choruses built on catchy vocal melodies, the rest of the band seems to be accent pieces to the words being sang. With the lyrics that we hear, that is perfectly fine. The closest thing to a typical pop-punk song on the record comes up with "Miscommunication". The guitars shine with a punk rhythm, and escalate to inertia in stereo during the choruses. That's where the gem of the song is found, in the chorus. Up beat and lifting melodies, rhythms, riffs, vocals, all of it combine to make a powerful blast of energy and joy.

One of the more unique songs on the record, "I Should Leave Right Now", involves an interesting guitar riff that combines a rhythm guitar approach but finishing the riff with lead sensibilities. In the choruses the riff finishes without the final lead notes, and stays in the rhythm section. The further into the song you get the more it becomes evident that it's almost as if the guitars are a back-up singer, giving the lead vocals more depth and an echo effect. If there were ever a "weak" song out of the bunch I would choose "Parachute". It's not even that it's not as good as the other songs, it's just that it is much more of a formula song. The blueprint to this track has been heard before, but The Dangerous Summer just seems to do it better than it has been done before. It seems to be the feeling that this is the next song that they wrote after "Good Things", because there are a lot of similarities between the two, with "Parachute" having a much more pop-punk chorus, and "Good Things" a more alternative chorus.

"In My Room" starts out as one of the slower songs on the record, with just a guitar and vocals. It may be a little accent, but the vocal rhythm at the beginning of when the band comes in and near the beginning of the second verse, is a prime example of what makes The Dangerous Summer great. Not being content with just singing the lines, the vocals are used as another instrument with how they are sang. Overall, this song is more enticing than most on the record. The mood of the entire song seems to be melancholy, but the guitars and drums seem to be pushing the song to an up-lifting mood. The album closer "Waves" is a great showcase of how far the band has come. From high school to this very moment, each member of the band is at the top of their game. The maturity level is off the charts from where it was at in the youth stages of the band, no more than the lyrics. The lyrics in the chorus are some of the finest I have ever heard, let alone heard from any band among The Dangerous Summer's peers. Every instrument works into a cohesive vision of a song that soars like a phoenix through the sonic atmosphere right up until the final note where we see the bird fly off into the sunset. One of the finest album closers in the genre, of the year, and of ever.

Throughout music there has been great bands that burst onto the scene with a fine debut album they have worked their entire lives to make. After touring on that record, it's time to get right back into the studio and record a follow-up. Many bands have fallen victim to the sophomore slump and many more will in the future. Many bands also get too high of expectations for a follow-up to a fantastic debut and end up in a fan whiplash. A record like this shatters and surpasses every expectation, as well as bending the sophomore slump over and making that its bitch. The Dangerous Summer have taken every life changing or molding event they have gone through and used it to create the best album they've done as well as the best album of the year.

Once in a great while a record comes along that strikes you at just the right time, maybe that's what happened to me the first time I heard this record. Listen after listen, however, I can't seem to stop playing each song over again. Songs that I wasn't keen on in the beginning have grown on me and shown the strength of the entire album. Not only is this a near lock for album of the year, but this is the kind of record I will show to my children. Sometimes words just can't express the feeling that you get when listening to a record, I could have easily just reviewed this by saying "You just have to listen to it", but anything less than "Life changing album" wouldn't do War Paint justice.

Recommended If You Like: The Dangerous Summer - Reach For The Sun, The Starting Line - Say It Like You Mean It, Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue

Verdict: 10 / 10

SYMAL Update and Anticipations

Just as a quick update, I was not able to post any new articles for the last week because I was away from my computer doing some relaxing work with friends. Now that I'm back in Lincoln and ready to expand my love for music, it's time to get some stuff done.

Coming up soon we'll have a review of the highly anticipated follow-up to Reach For The Sun,The Dangerous Summer's 2009 success, War Paint. The band released the first single off the album a few weeks ago and it has surpassed every expectation. You can go listen to "Work In Progress" right here.

A few records that have been spinning on my record player recently have been: Set Your Goals' Burning At Both Ends, a pop-punk record that grows into a more mature sound than their previous efforts and retains the catchy choruses that have been a landmark for their sound. Another record is The Swellers' most recent release Good For Me, Harnessing a vintage vibe with their powering guitars and rhythms, the songs never stop hitting the mark.

Hope you guys have a lot of fun and I'll try and get another review up soon.

The Wonder Years - Suburbia, I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing

Bursting into the stratosphere with The Upsides just last year, The Wonder Years have become one of the new pop-punk sound bands that I really enjoy. Bringing a fun vibe with hardcore sensibilities, it's really difficult to not be affected or find enjoyment in this band at all. That sound has been altered on their new record, Suburbia, I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing.

The Wonder Years - Suburbia, I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing

Starting off on a sound clip, the album opener "Came Out Swinging", carries the torch that The Upsides carried before it. Bigger guitars and personal vocals propel this song to move and materialize through the breakdowns. This song is a great representation of what The Wonder Years has become. A dynamic enigma that isn't tied down by genres, but is still one of the best pop-punk bands out there. After the opener, there is "Woke Up Older", which on first listen doesn't seem like an important song, but upon second glances grows and becomes a song that you will inevitably listen to with the windows down this summer.

Next we have "Local Man Ruins Everything". This track is one of the most evident cases of the band maturing. Starting with bigger riffs and giant choruses, this hard hitting song has single-handedly takes us from "I'm not sad anymore" to "I'm just a fucked up kid", one of my favorites on the album. "Suburbia" is next and acts as an interlude, and comes off as a slower and more personable version of "Dynamite Shovel", which appeared on The Upsides. "My Life As A Pigeon" is another great track. At a point before the second chorus, frontman "Soupy" Campbell delivers a vicious verse about dealing with people. The entire song is an ode to self-sacrifice for the betterment of other people, which is played off all too well by the vocals.

"Summer In PA" isn't a fast paced, relentless punk attack, but has the makings for it in the guitars and drums. Instead the song stays at a steady chug, complimenting the subject matter of spending time with friends during late summer nights. Later in the song there is even a giant group vocal performance, bringing the "friend element" to a cemented position in the song. "I Won't Say The Lord's Prayer" is where the real change in the band can be heard. It starts off as a very slow and personal song with only occasional and short lived full band parts, but it grows into a full band confessional with full band dynamics. If the maturity of this band ever need to be traced, this would be put at the forefront. On the next track, "Coffee Eyes", is fast paced and heavy in the verses, but slows and becomes very melodic in the chorus, instead of having faster and heavy choruses like what has shown up on many other Wonder Years songs.

A swift change in mood occurs as soon as "I've Given You All" starts in with its acoustic guitars. Uncharacteristic war veteran references in the lyrics bring somewhat of a surreal feel to the sub-two minute track to people who are used to the older Wonder Years sound. "Don't Let Me Cave In" resurrects the mood from previous releases and brings the chugging rhythms that have made so many fans mosh before. The chorus feels like a sonic success story, with the lyrics complimenting that feeling. Following up is "You Made Me Want To Be A Saint", which fires on all cylinders for an entire minute-and-a-half. Rhythmic guitars, heavy drums, and chugging bass keeps this song flowing like a smooth locomotive. It's a heavy song but doesn't falter where big songs have previously been seen fallen apart.

"Hoodie Weather" comes off as a question to society and what has gotten so many people down. The feeling of being confined in the winter comes across loud and clear when this track is on play. With the power of the guitars, the vocals begin to build and start to sound as if they are asking for more people to sing along. Finishing off the album is "And Now I'm Nothing", a five minute adventure through everything that the band has touched on in their tenure. Without doubt, this is the Wonder Years song that you need to hear. Wrapping their entire history, growth, maturity, power, personality, and emotion together in a song that explodes with bass drums and power chords. Any triumphant comeback story could splice this track into the final montage. A wise man once said "It's not how you start, it's how you finish", you will be hard pressed to find a finer complimenting finish to a record than this one.

After first listen, I had my doubts about this record. I highly enjoyed The Upsides and the one-stop sound that the record had. On Suburbia, I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing" the sound varies and becomes a much more dynamic album than anything this band has done before. In terms of Brand New, this record really is The Wonder Years' version of Deja Entendu and their time to become something more than just another band. This record proves the lasting value of The Wonder Years and abolishes the obstacles that have faced them. Start to finish this record is a success story in both spirit and stereo.

Recommended If You Like: Brand New - Deja Entendu, The Wonder Years - The Upsides, Set Your Goals - Mutiny

Verdict: 9.5 / 10

In Anticipation...

Sorry for the lack of reviews or articles recently, work has kept me busy. I do have a lot planned in the near future, including reviews of: Lady Gaga, Death Cab For Cutie, The Wonder Years, and Bayside. As well as an article documenting All Time Low. So a lot to look forward to and hopefully enough to keep you excited.

Thank you again for keeping tabs on the site and I'll reward you with more articles.

Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math

Welcome back everyone, it's good to have you here. SYMAL is back with the reliable opinion and verdict on everything that is music, but with an emphasis in alternative/indie/punk genres. I will be taking this slightly more seriously because I want this to be a good platform for me when it comes to making a living. Hopefully one day I will be writing for publications, but until then, this is where you'll see the beginning of a star writer.

So here we begin again.

Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math

In the beginning, Manchester Orchestra played alternative rock that was soaked in southern rock mentalities. A sweet mix of twang-filled guitars, snares, and vocals that boarder on whiny, but never become irritating. After just one album the band developed a more straight forward rock sound that nearly ditched their southern inheritance in favor for a deeper chamber of rock. Their album Mean Everything To Nothing still lingers in my brain and has cemented a spot in my heart as one of my favorite albums I grew up with.

After just two years, the follow-up record was released and now we have Simple Math. A record that takes the best parts of METN and mixes them into the same formula that they used to create their debut record, I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child. At first listen, this was a bittersweet record for me. There wasn't a lot there that kept me listening to METN that is clearly visible when you sit listening to the new record. Different, heartfelt, and dynamic; that's what this record can be summarized as. Enough with summarization, let's take a closer look at this new record.

One constant on all the Manchester Orchestra records, is the healthy dose of mellow paced songs that nearly exclusively features frontman Andy Hull. Simple Math starts out with one of those slower songs and it sets the early tone for the record. "Deer" is drenched in autobiographical aura and never escapes more than Hull with a guitar and a backing orchestra. As with most ManO songs, the lyrics are very sentimental and hold a great weight to them that can be felt with every syllable spoke. The manner in which Andy Hull utters these words comes across as a letter to his darling and you feel deeply blessed to be able to overhear this cross-country phone call. This track is nothing unlike ManO has ever done before, but there is still a very pleasing element as soon as you hear it and it never escapes as long as the track lasts.

After a sweet and genuine track, the record picks up with a gut wrenching guitar riff and it feels as if the skies are darkening. "Mighty" is that song that conjures up a storm in the verses and every facet of the track to only build up into a pure jolt of energy in the triumphant verse after the breakdown. Gang vocals, backing orchestra, it culminates into what you hear as the song fades into an ending. At first glance, this track was a great stand-out to me. After hearing the album a few more times, I still believe it is one of the better tracks on the album. Next up there's "Pensacola", which screams of Virgin-era Manchester. As soon as it hits the speakers you feel like this song is best represented by driving down a highway with nothing but fields and irrigation pipes surrounding you. Telecaster guitar twangs, Hull's letter-to-paper mentality of the lyrics and vocals, and the hard bass drum combined with the deep snare make for a good ol' time rock song.

"April Fool" starts out with the lyrics and takes off from there to a track that shows glimpses of METN. Using only heavy guitars and quick shifts in tempo, this track stands out as a trademark on this record. The album continues to grow with "Pale Black Eye", a subtle track that shines its own way. As a stand alone song, this track doesn't stand out, but in the context of the album, this is where the tide turns. This is the point where the album becomes dynamic and much like a film that hits a plot twist, this record takes a turn.

The record hits full tilt on the next track "Virgin", the best song on the album. Never before have I heard such a dynamic song be spun into a four minute weave. Starting out with chimes and rings, a voice calls out, and that voice gets interrupted as a simple, yet ominous guitar riff kicks in. The sound of young children echo the line: "We built this house with our hands / and our time / and our blood". Repeating, over and over, that echo becomes monumental. The guitars, the drums, the keyboards, the vocals, all of them synchronize to build this song up into a behemoth of entanglement. Never becoming a typhoon of sound, every piece is layered perfectly to create an epic track that needs to be heard to be believed.

After that roller coaster comes the title track and just as much of a dynamic song. The difference between "Virgin" and "Simple Math" is elementary. As "Vigin" was pieced together by the guitar and drum aesthetic, "Simple Math" holds its building blocks in the keyboards and vocals. Just a simple guitar strum until the chorus, this song stays level and mellow but culminates at the three minute mark. The first song that was released from this album, I believed that if the entire album was along the same strand as this song, it would be a masterpiece. My expectations were met with a different style of a record, but my enjoyment hasn't subsided. After the dynamics before it, "Leave It Alone" stays in the soft hemisphere and relies much more on Andy Hull's ability to croon with his unique higher-pitched smoker's voice. Just as with other songs on this record, "Leave It Alone" is much more about being a complimentary piece to other songs, than to stand out by itself; there's something to be said for that.

Another one of the stand out tracks on this album is "Apprehension". There's a strange 90's alternative vibe to this song, as if Manchester is playing in a karaoke time machine. Tight drumming and simple guitars propel this song along and build an easy-going atmosphere to the track as a whole. Granted, the vocals have that bite to it, but the music behind the voice never evolves into what the vocals would indicate. If there's any negativity to this song at all, it's that it seems out of place. Among dynamic tracks and softer songs of single guitars and vocals, this track is the middle ground and plays well into that fit. I'll chalk it up to track sequencing, because the song by itself is enjoyable. The finale, "Leaky Breaks", starts out as something out of an old Dukes Of Hazzard episode. The longest track on the album, this song uses every second to milk out the melancholy southern tone that Manchester has always seemed to possess, but was the muscle they never flexed. This is a song that won't get a lot of praise, but I find it to be one of the most reassuring tracks on the record.

Overall, this record is very enjoyable and stands out as one of the top albums of the year so far. Granted, I may be biased because of my allegiance to the band, but I would recommend this record to a lot of people. The appeal to a broad audience is there. Simply an autobiography set to music, Simple Math hits every curve and hill with ease and keeps you guessing through every verse or chorus. At first, I greeted this album with hostility; now I gladly welcome it into my stereo and sing its praises.

Recommended If You Like: Thrice - Beggers, Manchester Orchestra - I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child, The Allman Brothers Band - Idlewild South

Verdict: 9.5 / 10

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...It's coming