10 Sappy Songs to Share with Your Valentine

February 14, 2020 by Leave a Comment

It’s Valentine’s Day and, take it or leave it, love is in the air. I have searched far and wide for the scene’s sappiest offerings to bring you this – a playlist perfect for a candlelit dinner.

1. Anchor & Braille – “Summer Tongues”

This track was on my shortlist of choices for the first dance at our wedding. It showcases Stephen Christian’s sentimental writing style at its best, and is a highlight on Anchor & Braille’s first album, Felt. The idea for this article actually came to me as I was listening to the album recently and realized what a lovely song this is. Its gentle tones will make you dream of sunnier days.

2. Panic! at the Disco – “Always”

“Always” from 2011’s Vices and Virtues is an ode to the great literary classic The Great Gatsby. For those who either skipped the reading or forgot the plot, the book centers around Jay Gatsby and his endless pining after the married lady across the water and the destruction that brings to his life. But I digress. Brendon Urie drew a lot of early Panic!’s writing inspiration from literature, and this track is a wonderful tribute to a great love story of the past.

3. Copeland – “Have I Always Loved You”

This is one of Copeland’s many offerings in the relationship department. Between “Coffee”, from Beneath Medicine Tree, to basically the entirety of 2019’s Blushing, Copeland doesn’t let a chance for a thoughtful love song pass them by. This track opens Ixora (2015) and is a reflection on (presumably) Aaron Marsh’s marriage. It begins with him reminiscing on their wedding day and moves to just doing life together, always remembering the way it began: with a white dress.

4. House of Heroes – “If”

The End Is Not the End might not seem like your top Valentine’s choice for background music but this concept album about war and relationships was one of the first albums my husband and I bonded over. He was just as surprised as I was to learn that we both knew and loved House of Heroes. This is his favorite song from the album, and ties into the theme of pop culture references with the “Bride of Frankenstein” line.

5. A Day to Remember – “You Had Me At Hello”

Here’s another song I wouldn’t have known about without Jeremiah. I pride myself in being the audiophile out of the two of us, but he has made some important contributions to my roster, including adding “You Had Me At Hello”, from A Day to Remember’s 2005 album And Their Name was Treason, to a playlist during our dating years. They’ve never been my favorite band, and the bridge to this song is pretty awkwardly written, but you can’t deny it’s cute.

6. The Wonder Years – “You in January”

Of all the songs on No Closer to Heaven, this is the one I find myself returning to again and again four years later. It’s got the trademark attention to detail writing from Dan Campbell, and as a bonus they remixed it for the first Burst and Decay EP. I like the original better, but I might be biased because of how much I liked it when the album came out. I love the personal aspects of the song, like in the bridge where he sings about how they’ve traveled together, and I love the fact that he called back to “Passing Through a Screen Door” by ending the song with “I’m glad that you stayed”. It’s The Wonder Years at their best.

7.  Say Anything – “I Want to Know Your Plans”

Another track from our wedding playlist is this surprise from Say Anything’s magnum opus …Is a Real Boy. I say “surprise” because of how unorthodox the rest of the album is compared to this almost-Shakespearean ballad. It’s always been one of my favorites from the album, simply because it is such a stark difference from the way he deals with other subjects on the album (“Every Man Has a Molly” comes to mind). It has become almost a theme to my marriage as I work every day towards keeping our relationship harmonious.

8. Mike Mains and the Branches – “Stop the Car”

Mike Mains and the Branches are a band that was largely anonymous until they signed to Tooth and Nail in 2018 to release their third album, When We Were In Love. I didn’t choose one of their new songs, but rather one from their first album called Home from 2011. This is a playful song about young love that packs a punch in the bridge. Mike sings about love, “It’s when you give and give of yourself / Until your tank runs on empty / Just to be with the one you love”. It’s an album worth your time for this song and more.

9. Mayday Parade – “Jamie All Over”

No list about emo love songs would be complete without Mayday Parade. They were undoubtedly the kings of the moody love song and the best example is “Jamie All Over” from A Lesson In Romantics. Even if you’re not a Mayday Parade fan, chances are you still jam and maybe cry to this song. If only all dreams were this great, and the fact that Derek and his girl are (probably) on a break outside of the dream world is non-existent for eight hours. If they weren’t on a break who would he have written “Miserable At Best” about, amiright? It’s a total cliché to say that this is my favorite Mayday song, but who cares, it’s a classic.

10. Fall Out Boy – “I’m Like a Lawyer With the Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)”

Last but not least, my favorite Fall Out Boy song to close us out on this Valentine’s Day. This was probably Fall Out Boy’s best candidate for a love song up until they released “Alone Together” in 2013. This is also in the running for longest Fall Out Boy song title as well. The optimism in this track is unparalleled in early FOB and is always a breath of fresh air when it comes through the shuffle, and Patrick’s vocals are easy to get lost in. It’s not a perfect relationship, but they’re trying. Thanks, Pete.

by Nadia Paiva

kiel_hauckNadia Paiva has been a music enthusiast since she can remember. Going to shows is her main pastime. The other is being upset when she can’t go to shows. This is her first official venture into writing about music. You can follow her on Twitter.

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10 Perfect Albums for Summer Road Trips

July 2, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Believe it or not, there used to be a day when you didn’t have access to the entire library of recorded music when you got into your car. Long road trips with friends required preparation in the form of CD collections and discussions about which albums got first dibs in the stereo.

While it’s easier than ever to create endless playlists or simply jump tracks during long rides, there’s still something to be said for albums that can play front to back while you cruise down the highway and serve as the perfect soundtrack to life on the road. With summer in full swing, we’ve compiled a list of 10 albums to consider packing (or queueing up) before you take your next sun-drenched road trip with your friends.

Cartel – Chroma

Rule #1 for road trip albums: Every song has to be a banger. Even 14 years after its release, Chroma is fire from front to back and it’s incredibly easy to sing along to every song. Will Pugh’s voice was made for summer, and so was this album.

Key tracks: “Say Anything (Else)”, “If I Fail”

Underoath – They’re Only Chasing Safety

This is a quintessential summertime album for me and one that was the soundtrack to more road trips than I can count from 2004-06. While it’s a heavy album to be sure, there’s enough melody and pop elements crammed in courtesy of Aaron Gillespie and company that this album was made to be heard with the windows down.

Key tracks: “A Boy Brushed Red, Living in Black and White”, “Reinventing Your Exit”

P.O.S. – Never Better

P.O.S. stole the show at Warped Tour 2009 thanks to the catchiness of his breakthrough album, Never Better. An indie hip hop hidden gem, there’s tracks to nod your head to, wild out to, and rap along with your friends to. It’s a gold mine of catchy (and introspective) hits.

Key tracks: “Let it Rattle”, “Savion Glover”

Boys Like Girls – Boys Like Girls

The self-titled debut from Boys Like Girls was peak scene pop punk, masterfully produced to appeal to just about anyone. Every song could serve as a single and it’s impossible to turn the volume down anytime Martin Johnson’s voice hits those high notes.

Key tracks: “The Great Escape”, “Heels Over Head”

Paramore – Riot!

Riot! is truly one of the greatest summer pop punk albums of all time, hitting all of the high notes that a road trip album requires. Hayley Williams comes into her own as a vocalist as the band writes their catchiest and most infectious songs of their young career.

Key tracks: “That’s What You Get”, “Crushcrushcrush”

Mayday Parade – A Lesson in Romantics

Bonus points for road trip soundtracks go to any bands that utilize two singers, allowing travel buddies to trade off on vocals. A Lesson in Romantics is a perfect blend of summer anthems and memorable harmonies from Derek Sanders and Jason Lancaster.

Key tracks: “Jersey”, “Jamie All Over”

A Day to Remember – Homesick

Homesick is the album that took A Day to Remember to another level and it’s also their most instantly arresting version of easy-core that allows for head banging sessions in the car or embarrassingly loud sing-a-longs for everyone on the trip.

Key tracks: “My Life for Hire”, “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End”

Gym Class Heroes – As Cruel as School Children

In 2006, Gym Class Heroes were on top of the world thanks to a collection of hit songs from As Cruel as School Children. Lead man Travie McCoy is able to drop a hot verse but also able to flex his songwriting abilities in unexpected, pop-centric ways. This album is just plain fun.

Key tracks: “Shoot Down the Stars”, “Clothes Off!”

Katy Perry – Teenage Dream

Sometimes after all the whining and screaming, you need to cleanse the palate with a tried-and-true pop record. Teenage Dream is hit after hit after hit, and they’re all fun to sing along to. If anyone on the car pretends they don’t know the words…well…they’re lying.

Key tracks: “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”, “E.T.”

Yellowcard – Ocean Avenue

In all honesty, there may not be a better pop punk road trip record than Ocean Avenue, an album that bleeds summer from every corner. It’s catchy, nostalgic, energetic and delightful in pretty much every way. Plus, if you let the album repeat after it finishes, no one will complain.

Key tracks: “Breathing”, “Ocean Avenue”, all of them.

by Kiel Hauck

kiel_hauckKiel Hauck is the editor in chief at It’s All Dead. Over the past decade, he has been a contributor for multiple online and print publications and was most recently an editor at PopMatters. Kiel currently resides in Indianapolis, IN with his wife and their imaginary pet, Hand Dog. You can follow him on Twitter.

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Reflecting On: A Day to Remember – Homesick

February 11, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The largest crowd I ever saw for a performance at Warped Tour was for A Day to Remember at Indianapolis in 2009. That afternoon, I watched from the top of a small hillside, looking down into a grassy valley where the Hurley Stage sat as a massive crowd moshed like a single organism. It was out of a fear of missing out that I downloaded Homesick a day later to see what all the fuss was about. I burned the album to a CD, which remained in my car stereo for the rest of the summer.

You can buy or stream Homesick on Apple Music.

I was obviously aware of A Day to Remember prior to that sweltering afternoon in 2009. A few different friends had played me various tracks from the band’s debut, For Those Who Have Heart, but none of them stuck. In those early days, I viewed A Day to Remember as a diet knock-off of the bands I loved, like Underoath, Chiodos, or Story of the Year. I’m still not totally sure I was wrong, but there was something about the way things came together for the band on their sophomore breakthrough that just made sense.

You don’t need a 10-year retrospective to tell you that Homesick found the perfect balance of metalcore and pop punk, full of silly breakdowns and one-liners topped off by sugary choruses. It’s an album that quite literally set the tone for the next 10 years of the scene, and it did so simply by having fun.

Truth be told, A Day to Remember would further perfect the very sound they helped turn into trend with later albums like What Separates Me from You and Common Courtesy, but even so, there’s still not a single album of theirs that puts a smile on my face quite like Homesick. From front to back, I know the words to every song and can perfectly synchronize my head banging to every cheesy breakdown. If you haven’t shouted along to Jeremy McKinnon’s cry of, “Disrespect Your Surroundings!” with a friend in the car on a summer drive, have you really lived?

Some of my personal favorite tracks include sing-along choruses, like those found on “My Life for Hire”, “NJ Legion Iced Tea”, or “Holdin’ it Down for the Underground”. Whether the band is flexing their drop D tuned guitars on “You Already Know What You Are” or taking a poppier approach on “Homesick” or “Have Faith in Me”, the album truly serves as an intersection for fans of almost any corner of the scene. Even those that sneered at the band or posted grouchy retorts on online message boards were probably secretly into this record, right?

Unlike many of our retrospective features, I’m not here to tell you what a deep emotional impact Homesick made on me or how it changed the way I listened to music. Instead, Homesick served its purpose in helping me put my guard down and drop my tendencies toward music snobbery. Sometimes music is at its best when it’s helping us have a good time, enjoy good company, and sing aloud with abandon.

That’s what I remember most about that Warped Tour performance. As Mike Hranica from The Devil Wears Prada joined the band onstage for the bridge of “I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?” and the crowd went absolutely bonkers, I remember being struck by how something so seemingly mundane could be so communal and joyful. A Day to Remember had a knack for breaking down walls between music fans of various genres and bringing them together. I’m glad I decided to join in on the fun.

by Kiel Hauck

kiel_hauckKiel Hauck is the editor in chief at It’s All Dead. Over the past decade, he has been a contributor for multiple online and print publications and was most recently an editor at PopMatters. Kiel currently resides in Indianapolis, IN with his wife and their imaginary pet, Hand Dog. You can follow him on Twitter.

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Podcast: The Best of A Day to Remember

January 23, 2017 by Leave a Comment

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As A Day to Remember’s breakthrough album For Those Who Have Heart turns 10 years old, Kiel Hauck and Kyle Schultz discuss the band’s career and break down their discography. From their favorite songs to the band’s evolution and determination to stay true to themselves, this is a conversation A Day to Remember fans won’t want to miss. Listen in!

Subscribe to our podcast here.

What are your favorite A Day to Remember albums and songs? Share your thoughts in the replies!

Posted by Kiel Hauck

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Blink-182 Caps Off Summer in Style on California Tour

September 19, 2016 by 1 Comment

blink182-tour-splash

As the cool nights and crisp air of autumn arrive, there’s really no better way to celebrate the passing of another summer season than with one last night of pop punk bliss. Fortunately for us all, blink-182 has provided just such an affair with their latest tour.

Not many expected one of 2016’s biggest tours to involve blink-182, especially after another messy fallout with Tom Delonge early last year, but the band has rebounded in a way that seems to defy logic. Alkaline Trio’s Matt Skiba hasn’t just filled Tom’s shoes – he’s elevated the band to another level with his stellar performance on blink’s latest release, California.

As the band embarks on yet another trek through the country’s biggest amphitheaters, they’ve brought out the big guns in support. All American Rejects and A Day to Remember warmed the stage for the California Tour’s recent stop in Indianapolis – two bands you wouldn’t typically expect to find on an opening bill.

***

All American Rejects

All American Rejects

It’s been a minute since The All American Rejects have found themselves at the forefront of the pop culture ethos, but there’s no denying their credentials. While 2012’s Kids in the Street didn’t match past commercial and critical success, the band seems as strong as ever onstage as they prepare for their fifth full length release.

Tyson Ritter sounds every bit as much of the showman he was when the band broke through to the mainstream just over a decade ago. In addition to a taste of what’s to come with “DGAF”, the band rips through fan favorites like “Move Along”, “Swing, Swing” and “Gives You Hell” with ease. Here’s hoping for a return to the pop gold that made past releases from the band such a treat.

Having watched A Day to Remember play club shows and side stages at Warped Tour over the past several years, I actually got choked up seeing the band take the stage in front of a crowd of 20,000 people. For all of the hard work the band has put in, for all of the relentless touring, for all of the label battles and determination to stay true to their craft, this feels like a rightful reward for A Day to Remember.

A Day to Remember

A Day to Remember

Jeremy McKinnon has always had a stage presence worthy of large crowds, and his confidence was on full display in Indianapolis. McKinnon struts from side to side, riling the crowd and effortlessly transitioning between his signature growls and clean vocals. The band devoted one song of their set to their latest release, Bad Vibrations, choosing to play a variety of fan favorites, including the obvious opener, “The Downfall of Us All” and crowd-pleasers like “Right Back at It Again” and “All I Want”.

The set is punctuated by typical ADTR fare: beach balls bouncing atop the massive crowd, synchronized head-banging to supplement the band’s breakdowns, and one of the most colorful and playful stage set-ups you’ll ever see. The entire production is spot-on, offering gratification to long-time fans and a worthy introduction for newcomers. Just to show that time hasn’t worn the band thin or softened their delivery, A Day to Remember offers the night’s most pulse-pounding moment with “2nd Sucks”.

***

I’ll admit that the opening moments when blink-182 took the stage felt slightly odd – it took a few seconds before Skiba’s presence sunk in. Opening with “Feeling This”, Skiba immediately was pushed to the forefront, belting out the verses of the song and then harmonizing with Mark Hoppus atop the song’s chorus. As one of my favorite blink songs came to a close with the track’s swirling conclusion, I was fully immersed. Matt Skiba belongs on this stage.

blink-182

blink-182

The band played a 25-song set full of old standards and new songs from this summer’s California. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that not a single track from 2011’s odd, uncomfortable comeback album Neighborhoods was present on the setlist. Instead, blink-182 showed off their return as the fun-loving carefree pop punk band we all fell in love with.

Amid exciting new songs like “Bored to Death”, “San Diego”, “Kings of the Weekend” and “Los Angeles”, blink offered up a variety of delightfully juvenile throwbacks like “Family Reunion”, “Happy Holidays, You Bastard” and “Dysentery Gary”. Is it weird or problematic that we’re all still singing and laughing along to these songs? Who cares.

Per usual, Travis Barker shines behind the kit, getting his usual drum solo portion of the set to show off his skills. The trio feels more in sync on stage than blink has in years. Not to slight Delonge, but it’s clear that Skiba is a better fit for the band in nearly every at this point in their career. We’ll always be able to cherish the Mark, Tom and Travis days, but 2016 is all about moving forward.

It’s delightful to see blink-182 having fun again, especially when it seemed possible that the band might be done for good as little as 18 months ago. Instead, they’ve capped off another summer with a tour for the ages and their best album in years. We’re glad to have you back, guys.

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A Day to Remember
All American Rejects
All American Rejects
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A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember
All American Rejects
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember

by Kiel Hauck

kiel_hauckKiel Hauck is the editor in chief at It’s All Dead. Over the past decade, he has been a contributor for multiple online and print publications and was most recently an editor at PopMatters. Kiel currently resides in Indianapolis, IN with his wife and their imaginary pet, Hand Dog. You can follow him on Twitter.

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Review: A Day to Remember – Bad Vibrations

September 13, 2016 by Leave a Comment

a-day-to-remember-2016

A Day to Remember have been a band that I’ve spent a couple of years trying to figure out. Their brand of hardcore punk is majestic, on level nearly unsurpassed by their peers in regards to pure musicianship. But on the other side of the spectrum, although Jeremy McKinnon’s screaming is more or less second to Davy Havok’s, it’s his clean vocals that truly enthral me (I’m a sucker for pop).

I love A Day to Remember, but what has kept me from being a die-hard fan is how tilted their albums seem to sound. While the clean vocals and hardcore sound amazing, it has always felt at odds to me. Where What Separates Me From You felt too poppy, Homesick and parts of Common Courtesy felt too heavy to compliment the vocals. Although all of their albums have been fantastic, Bad Vibrations is the most cohesive album A Day to Remember have put out for half of a decade.

You can buy Bad Vibrations on iTunes.

You can buy Bad Vibrations on iTunes.

Sonically, this is A Day to Remember at their best. The guitars play off of their best elements – straddling the line of pop punk and metal. There are an incredible amount of breakdowns and hard riffs that seems to mesh well with the poppier songs like “Naivety”. Although Bad Vibrations seems to have fewer singles ready to launch from their holster, they have never sounded better.

This is a hard album. If you’ve ever thought that A Day to Remember had grown soft, Bad Vibrations will readjust you in the best way. Guitarists Kevin Skaff and Neil Westfall really take liberty to explore, from hard breakdowns (“Reassemble”) to classic pop punk (“Naivety”) to a loving mixture between the two (“Justified”). Bassist Joshua Woodard absolutely shred across the board (“Exposed”), as does drummer Alex Shelnutt (see the entire album. He’s amazing.)

Lyrically, Bad Vibrations keeps the tone of past ADTR albums – a solid mix of uplifting anthems and depressing soliloquies. McKinnon’s vocals adjust for literally every song presented on the album. The last few albums have made McKinnon another hardcore vocalist who has fallen victim to clean and uplifting vocals (“We Got This”), but Bad Vibrations has redeemed him in the eyes of ‘purists’ by reintroducing enough hardcore songs to make the pop songs sound out of place.

Bad Vibrations attempts to straddle the line between self-hating and uplifting messages. Some songs on the album relish how dark life can get before hinting at a light at the end of the tunnel. “Exposed” relishes the guttural guitar riffs of the early 2000’s nu-metal fad as McKinnon screams in a poignant modern political catharsis, “I won’t accept your fear / Another stagnant year / I’m pro-Amerian but anti-politician / They’ll trade you a voice for an illusion of choice / Truth hits like a goddamn premonition.”.

Lead single “Paranoia” is the best middle-ground between genres, as it transitions between harsh guitar riffs to a melodic chorus haunted with vocals croaking on the edge of screaming, but holding the temperance of restraint, clouded with backing vocals. The song sounds like a harder version of a Rise Against song. “I’m like a time bomb, ticking in your head / Paranoia, clouding your judgement / And no matter what you do about it, about it, about it, I’m still in your head”.

However, the stand out track is “Bullfight”. A solid mix of everything A Day to Remember have stood to accomplish throughout their career, the song is a sing-a-long as much as it is a melancholy screaming anthem of finding pride in being an outcast. “Everybody sees your head hung low, they don’t ask, they don’t wanna know us / I’ll be the one, I’ll be your spark / I’ll be your light led through the darkness / I get, I get, I get so misunderstood”.

Bad Vibrations isn’t an album of uplifting songs that A Day to Remember have been teasing for the last couple of albums. A couple of those songs have leaked through, but this is a rough album meant for fans of the band who have stood the test of time for half of a decade, not knowing which way the band would drift – towards pop or hardcore. The answer, simply, is that the band embraces all facets of themselves and are able to dive fully into any genre they feel works for them.

Bad Vibrations may not be perfect, but it’s the most cohesive album A Day to Remember have released in a long time and provides multiple anthems for whichever genre you lean toward. The one thing that is certain: A Day to Remember do not toe any single line. Whatever your preference in ADTR’s style, Bad Vibrations strikes a balance musically that find the best of most any genre.

4/5

by Kyle Schultz

kyle_catKyle Schultz is the Senior Editor at It’s All Dead and has worked as a gaming journalist at Structure Gaming. He lives in Chicago and missed most of A Day to Remember’s set opening for Blink 182 because of goddamned rush hour traffic. Boooooo.

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A Day to Remember to Release “Bad Vibrations” on August 19

June 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment

a-day-to-remember-2016

A Day to Remember is set to return on August 19 with the release of their new album, Bad Vibrations. Along with this announcement, the band has released a music video for the title track, which can be viewed along. Between a new album and a summer tour with blink-182, its safe to say that A Day to Remember are set to have a big year!

Track List
1.    Bad Vibrations
2.    Paranoia
3.    Naivety
4.    Exposed
5.    Bullfight
6.    Reassemble
7.    Justified
8.    We Got This
9.    Same About You
10.    Turn Off The Radio
11.    Forgive and Forget
12.    Negative Space
13.    In Florida

Like what you hear? You can pre-order Bad Vibrations on the band’s website.

What do you think of the new song? Share your thoughts in the replies!

Posted by Kiel Hauck

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Blink-182 Announce New Album “California”

April 27, 2016 by Leave a Comment

blink_182_matt_skiba_2015

Woah.

What started as a leaked song earlier this afternoon has erupted into a deluge of huge announcements from blink-182. Where to begin? First, the band has released a new single titled “Bored to Death”, which can be heard below. In addition, blink-182 will be releasing their new album California on July 1 and embarking on a massive summer tour featuring the likes of A Day to Remember, All Time Low and The All-American Rejects. Got all that? Let’s break it down…

Stream “Bored to Death”:

California track listing:

1. Cynical
2. Bored To Death
3. She’s Out Of Her Mind
4. Los Angeles
5. Sober
6. Built This Pool
7. No Future
8. Home Is Such A Lonely Place
9. Kings of the Weekend
10. Teenage Satellites
11. Left Alone
12. Rabbit Hole
13. San Diego
14. The Only Thing That Matters
15. California
16. Brohemian Rhapsody

Tour dates:

tour

Phew! Share your thoughts (and excitement) in the replies!

Posted by Kiel Hauck

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A Decade of Summer Soundtracks

June 29, 2015 by Leave a Comment

UPDATE: When I published this in 2015, I found it therapeutic to look back on the albums that pulled me through each summer. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with new albums each year that felt perfect for the season, and I couldn’t help but update the list. Check them all out or fast forward to 2015 and see what’s held my attention for the past four summer seasons!

Summer is here, which means it’s time to roll the windows down, turn up the stereo and blast your favorite songs. I get nostalgic every year thinking about the albums I played on repeat in years past as I rode around, hung out with my friends and enjoyed the sunshine. It never seems to fail – when I think back on each summer of my life, there is always one album that seems to be playing in the background.

Therefore, I’ve decided to compile a list of the albums that served as my summer soundtrack for each of the past ten years. While this list is far from an overview of the best albums of each year, it does reflect a collection of fun records that seem to be perfect for warm summer days. Take a look below and share your favorite summer records in the replies!

underoath-tocs2004: Underoath – They’re Only Chasing Safety

This is actually my all time favorite summertime album. I still remember the day I bought it and how I drove around for weeks without taking it out of my car’s CD player. There’s something about the combination of heavy and light here that gives you the best of both worlds as the guitars transition between poppy and blistering. Spencer Chamberlain and Aaron Gillespie’s trade-off vocals are perfect for sing-alongs, and the stellar production value makes this an instant classic.

anberlin_blueprints2005: Anberlin – Never Take Friendship Personal

This breakout album from Anberlin is full of catchy hooks and fast-paced, emo-tinged rock. On Never Take Friendship Personal, Anberlin came into their own, displaying their songwriting prowess with killer tracks like “Paperthin Hymn” and “The Runaways”. If you can listen to Stephen Christian cry out, “I thought you said forever, over and over / This sleepless night becomes bitter oblivion” and not belt out the notes right along with him, you may need to get your pulse checked.

underoath_david_goldman2006: Underoath – Define the Great Line

Two years after their breakout, Underoath returned with the crushing, genre-shifting Define the Great Line. While this isn’t your typical summer album, it’s impossible to deny the sheer magnitude of the record. The masterful time-signature changes, the eerie electronic sounds, and Spencer Chamberlain’s electrifying roar changed the game. Though there’s far less melody here than was present on They’re Only Chasing Safety, it’s full of powerful, moving tracks, perfect for summer nights.

2007: Paramore – Riot!

Paramore went from emo darlings full of potential to a powerhouse rock outfit seemingly overnight when they released Riot! in the summer of 2007. A wonderful mixture of pop punk and emo rock make this a huge release, with soaring choruses courtesy of Hayley Williams. Whether you’re singing along to the slick chorus of “crushcrushcrush” or head banging along to the fiery “Misery Business”, Riot! is a record made for summer hangouts and road trips.

all_time_low_7152008: All Time Low – So Wrong, It’s Right

Although the album released in the fall of 2007, a deluxe reissue the following year helped propel So Wrong, It’s Right to new heights. To this day, it’s hard to find another pop punk release so full of energy and melody. After the opening guitars of “This is How We Do”, Alex Gaskarth pleads, “Show us off to all your friends” – and we did. By the end of 2008, it seemed like everyone in the world knew the lyrics to “Dear Maria, Count Me In”.

a-day-to-remember2009: A Day to Remember – Homesick

Another breakout album – noticing a trend here? A Day to Remember broke big with Homesick, an album that captured the band’s “easycore” sound better than any other. From crushing breakdowns capped off with cries to “disrespect your surroundings” to soaring, melodic choruses that even your mom would love, Homesick has a little something for everyone. Is it pop punk? Is it metalcore? Does it matter? Homesick is fun as hell.

The-Devil-Wears-Prada-zombie2010: The Devil Wears Prada – Zombie EP

Since I just wrote a full length feature reflecting on this release, I’ll stay brief. The Zombie EP caught everyone off guard at the time of its release and inadvertently became career defining. The furious guitar work on these five songs is unbelievable and the piercing howls and shrieks of Mike Hranica are the sounds of your nightmares. Even still, it’s hard not to turn the volume up during this horror-filled romp.

the_wonder_years2011: The Wonder Years – Suburbia, I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing

The Wonder Years seem to get better with every release, but Suburbia made us all take notice. So far, it’s the definitive pop punk release of this new decade. A walk through a year in the life of lead singer Dan Campbell finds the band lamenting, celebrating and looking for answers – it’s a coming of age story that almost anyone can relate to. To top it off, Suburbia is so full of life through its twists and turns, it’s the perfect soundtrack for self-reflection on lonely summer nights.

pierce-the-veil-credit-adam-elmakias-650-4302012: Pierce the Veil – Collide with the Sky

While Collide with the Sky wasn’t Pierce the Veil’s breakout record, it certainly propelled them to a whole new level. Vic Fuentes’ duet with Kellin Quinn on “King for a Day” became Warped Tour’s song of the summer, as the two sing and scream their way through this furious track. The band is more technical than ever on this release, creating fast-paced post-hardcore numbers like “Hell Above” and calmer, brokenhearted tracks like “I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket”. From front to back, Collide with the Sky is a summer smash.

letlive2013: letlive. – The Blackest Beautiful

Another unexpected album on the list, The Blackest Beautiful just narrowly edged out The Greatest Generation thanks to Jason Butler’s impassioned vocal performance. This isn’t a lighthearted release, but it does keep you on your toes. We generally don’t want our summer albums to make us think too hard, but The Blackest Beautiful commands your attention, even as its sonic background tickles your ears. The band’s wild stint on the 2013 Vans Warped Tour only added to the excitement surrounding the release.

issues2014: Issues – Issues

How can you not love Tyler Carter? The man can sing and write one heck of a hook. Issues is a melting pot of sounds, full of breakdowns, poppy choruses, wild electronics, record scratches and sincere moments. When Carter and Michael Bohn trade off during “Mad at Myself”, it’s mildly reminiscent of the Underoath’s breakthrough a decade prior. It’s easy to imagine the members blasting They’re Only Chasing Safety during the summer of ’04, only to write their own summer anthem 10 years later.

2015: Carly Rae Jepsen – Emotion

An album that caught me completely off guard, won me over, and became my favorite album of the decade (so far). Emotion sonically captures the nostalgic sounds that soundtracked the summers of my youth, but it’s also an album about feeling – something that just seems easier to do in the summertime. It’s clear that Jepsen has a knack for crafting the perfect pop song, and Emotion is front-to-back pop bliss. Tracks like “Run Away with Me” and “Boy Problems” are the perfect tunes to dance away those hot summer nights.

2016: Kanye West – The Life of Pablo

Part of the reason The Life of Pablo owned my summer in 2016, aside from my obvious affinity for his music, was that there was just so much to digest. An album that just kept growing in size (eventually capping off at 20 tracks), Pablo held my interest for months, capping off with an enrapturing live performance at the end of the summer. Nevertheless, for all of the conversation that surrounded this album, beats like those found on “Famous” and “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” made this the kind of summer hip hop record that was inescapable.

2017: Halsey – hopeless fountain kingdom

While fans are still somewhat divided on Halsey’s sophomore effort, there’s no denying that it got played more than anything else during my summer of 2017. Halsey leans into some deep 80s influences on tracks that feel custom built for the season. “Eyes Closed” and “Strangers” are two underrated tracks that sound splendid with the windows down, even as “Bad at Love” become the kind of summer smash that ensured Halsey would be sticking around for a while.

2018: Pusha T – Daytona

I love this album. I love the way it reminds me of the hip hop albums that I would play throughout my summers in high school. I love how it feels fresh and new, even though it’s creator has been around for nearly two decades. I love how it captures the type of sample-based production that makes hip hop endlessly compelling. I love how Pusha T just owns his persona, his voice, his place in the genre. Daytona is the kind of perfect summer rap record that I didn’t even know was still possible to pull off.

2019: ???

Summer 2019 is rapidly heading toward the finish line. It’s probably still too early to claim a victor, but early front runners include Carly Rae Jepsen (Dedicated) and Lil Nas X (7). But I can’t out the new Chance the Rapper record or even a sneak attack from the likes of Halsey or Dua Lipa. Whatever the case, there’s been plenty to enjoy.

by Kiel Hauck

kiel_hauckKiel Hauck is the editor in chief at It’s All Dead. Over the past decade, he has been a contributor for multiple online and print publications and was most recently an editor at PopMatters. Kiel currently resides in Indianapolis, IN with his wife and their imaginary pet, Hand Dog. You can follow him on Twitter.

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A Day to Remember release “End of Me” music video

June 24, 2014 by 1 Comment

a-day-to-remember

A Day to Remember has released a new music video for their song “End of Me”. The song is the second single from Common Courtesy and the video was directed by Shane Drake. The video is solid and fits the mood of the track perfectly. Check it out below:

If you still haven’t picked up Common Courtesy, you’re missing out. You can download the album on iTunes.

What are your thoughts on the video? Share in the replies!

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