Too Close to Touch "Haven't Been Myself" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Hailing from my hometown of Lexington, KY, Too Close to Touch burst onto the rock/metal scene in 2015 with their unique debut "Nerve Endings". The album was one of the best debut albums of that year, showing how unique the band's indie hard rock/metal sound was. It boasted songs with catchy lyrics as well as some great emotional cuts in the title track and "Hell to Pay". What really got me into this band though is the incredible vocalist Keaton Pierce. The guy has an impressive set of vocal chords, able to go from some very low notes to some incredible highs with great skill. Now the band has returned a year later with their sophomore release "Haven't Been Myself". They decide to play it safe here (for the most part) by expanding on their established sound and refining it. The result is a very solid rock album with a lot of great moments and more showing of Keaton Pierce's versatile vocal skills.

The album beings on a very strong note with the first three tracks. The first track "Sympathy" is easily one of the more intense tracks the band has done. It starts off with some cool subtle electronic elements which leads into an explosive guitar riff. Pierce's vocals come in as great as ever, sounding particularly strong in this track. I could feel the passion in this track, especially in the chorus which expressed disdain for the person Pierce is talking about: "Don't you dare say I'm gonna make it/Cause I don't believe a word you say/There's a sickness living inside me/You can spare me all your sympathy". This song could just as easily be about a deceptive friend as it could be a break-up song. Either way, the song works very effectively, especially with Pierce's angry shouted vocals in the chorus. The second track "Crooked Smile" is a bit of a generic song tackling an unfaithful person once again, but the song is so fun and intense that it's hard to complain. The biggest highlight of the three comes in the lead single "What I Wish I Could Forget". This song boasts all the huge dynamics that "Nerve Endings" had, except it makes them bigger in some ways. The song is also just as emotional, especially in the chorus when Pierce begs, "Take every memory ingrained in me/Erase it from my thoughts so I can sleep/I'd give anything to feel no pain/Name your price and take the past away". I felt the sadness and longing in Pierce's voice, and his vocals just soar throughout this whole song. It's beautiful and brutal at the same time, particularly in the scream-heavy bridge. The song is so dynamic and is easily one of the biggest highlights of the whole album.

While having a bit of a cheesy name, "Miss Your Face" is actually a very powerful ballad and another big highlight. The theme of the song is about valuing those in your life. The lyrics speak to how we often seem to not appreciate those we leave behind, and when we do miss them it's almost too late. This makes for a bittersweet but beautiful track.  "The Art of Eye Contact" offers up another great ballad with more of an emphasis on the electronic elements. The lyrics of the chorus paint a compelling portrait of a broken relationship that is trying to be repaired, but the efforts seem to be futile. The title of the song seems to imply that if the couple was able to truly see each other, then maybe this relationship could have a chance, but they simply can't.  The thematic arc of this song is a powerful one, and Pierce's vocals skillfully carry this song along with the interesting variations of instrumentation in the background. "Inside Voices" creates a lot of imagery that seems to imply a person reflecting upon having anxiety: "Inside a broken mind is the place that I call home/I let my thoughts unwind, as they leave my body panic prone/I beg for peace within me, as I lose a piece of me". The tone of the song seems to imply this person has accepted their anxiety for what it is and have chosen to just live with it. This song is sure to connect with people who go through the same problems, and for that as well as how prominent the musicality of this song is, this song is another highlight. Interesting soundscapes also appear in the absolutely dynamic number "For Your Sake", which has Pierce's vocals shining through once again. The best track of the album doesn't appear until the end of the album, and it comes in the song "Eiley". I could really tell the band put all of their passion in this epic of the song, as it keeps on building until it reaches a fever pitch and Pierce belts some incredible screams. The song has a lot of emotional heft to it, as Pierce is addressing the death of a loved one. I nearly teared up when he passionately said "God, why didn't you choose me over her?" It might be the best track the band has ever done.

There are a few down sides of the album. "Translate" is probably the weakest track on the album. The lyrics good enough, but they aren't as impressive compared to some of the other lyrics. Musically the song does not have much to offer, having a feeling of sameness throughout. Even Pierce's vocals are not as good on this track, as I could tell he was trying to be a bit more radio friendly. "Modern Love Affair" is a cliched love song about being with a woman who just constantly cheats on whoever she is with. The song doesn't really offer anything compelling in it. "What a Shame" is simply a bit of a throwaway track; not necessarily bad, but it isn't great either.

Overall, Too Close To Touch has released an album that is FAR from a sophomore slump. In some ways, this album is an improvement over their debut, as objectively, it has a lot more tight musicianship and more showing of just how incredible Pierce's vocal range is. However, I still do think their debut is a little better, more because I find the debut really special with a lot of memorable songs. There are certainly songs that will stick with you long after listening to this album, but maybe not as many as the debut. I am honestly waiting to see this group selling out arenas, because this incredibly talented and unique group is only getting started!

Favorite Songs: "Eiley", "What I Wish I Could Forget", "Sympathy", "The Art of Eye Contact", "Inside Voices"
Least Favorite Songs: "Translate", "Modern Love Affair"

A PSA to the Authors who wrote Articles on Chacos As Well as the People Sharing the Article Defending a Freaking Shoe Brand that Has No Effect on Their Life

I (and many others) don't care.
That is all. 

Of Mice and Men "Cold World" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 2/5 Stars

Of Mice and Men has been a band with quite the evolution ever since their debut. Their self-titled album reminds of the old band lead singer Austin Carlisle was a part of, Attack Attack. It was definitely better than anything that much made fun of band put out, as there were hints of originality and talent in songs like "Second and Sebring" and "YDG". But overall, Of Mice and Men's debut is not that great. They really found their footing, as well as increased popularity with "The Flood". This album is hard-hitting, has killer screams from Austin, and some decent cleans. This album is better in small doses though, as there are only some gems in the midst of generic content of the rest of the album. "Restoring Force" was where I seriously got into this band, and I still think it's easily their strongest release. They went a totally different direction with this album, keeping some elements of their signature sound, but mostly taking huge risks with a more hard rock/electronic sound. The album is really solid, having some powerful lyrics, Austin's screams sounding better than ever, and a better clean vocalist in Aaron Pauley. Now they are out with their newest release, "Cold World", which is more of a nu metal release. Of Mice and Men are definitely taking the next step in this album to becoming more radio friendly while trying new things. And how does it fair? Unfortunately, the results are mostly disappointing.

"Cold World" certainly has a promising start in its first few tracks. "Game of War" is an instant album highlight. It is easily one of the most subdued tracks the band has done, but it's also one of the most mature. The subject of the song is about war, as the title implies. The way this subject is addressed in the song is powerful, questioning whether we should sit on the sidelines while violence is happening all around us: "I'm waiting for the war to end/Are we ending to begin again?/If patience is so virtuous/Then maybe I'll be damned". Aaron Pauley takes vocals for this song, and man does he deliver. His voice sounds delicate and powerful at the same time. A complete 180 happens with the next song "The Lie", which gives the first indications of the nu metal songs present throughout the rest of the album. This is the only song of that style that I think works on this album. The song is energetic, with fast-paced guitar and drum work. Austin's vocals are powerful here, and the way he utilizes them reminds of the style he used on  the band's second album "The Flood". This song is pure fun to listen to, as it feels original and like something distinctly Of Mice and Men. While the next song "Real" is a little bit predictable, it still is an overall fun song. The trading of vocals between Austin and Aaron works effectively in making the song sound fun, and the chorus is certainly catchy; it makes since why this was one of the singles. The only other song I can really commend on this album is "Away", which is my personal favorite. This song is once again a softer track, but it actually shifts into a more upbeat track near the end. The song addresses crippling loneliness in an interesting way: "We always fall into the holes we dig/So ignorant to the depth of them/A place where we can finally get some rest/Until the rain starts pouring in". Those lines are the most poignant on the album, and that's what makes this song stand out against the rest.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album delivers disappointment after disappointment. "Like a Ghost" is nearly five minutes long, and that length is not justified. The song is SO boring, which is something I never thought I'd be saying for an Of Mice and Men song. But that is the case here. Not only is the topic of a lost relationship so cliched, but this song suffers immensely in the music department. This song tries to be intense, but Austin's vocals seem to have no passion and the guitar and drum work sounds murky. The ending of this song is especially bland, as the chorus repeats over and over for no reason, and the instruments in the background seem to be repeating the same notes as well. This song just did nothing for me. "Contagious" is one of the songs that hurt the most to listen to, as it reminds of Linkin Park to the point that it feels like plagiarism. The song seems like a clone of LP's song "From the Inside" (in the chorus, they even say that exact phrase). Unlike Linkin Park, though, the mixing of synthesizers with guitar doesn't work, as one of the elements always overpowers the other. The lyrics express cliched teen angst and come across as cheesy more than anything. The instrumental interludes "-" and "+" are not necessarily awful, but they feel like unneeded filler, as they don't even connect all that much to the next song.

I know that a lot of people really liked the lead single "Pain", but for the life of me I've never been able to get into it. I guess the guitar work here is a little more prominent than on other songs, but that's about all it has going for it. Austin's rap/screams are annoying, and the chorus gets grating very quickly. The lyrics sound like they're out of a middle school diary: "Pain/Everyday when I awake...We speak the spirit's truth/When we turn the other cheek". I get that OM&M is appealing to a certain age demographic, but I think they could be a bit more intelligent about it like in any song off of "Restoring Force". "The Hunger" might be the worst song on the album, as it is over-the-top melodramatic. The song talks about oppression in a way that isn't unique. The song once again has some murky production and ends up being boring filler. "Relentless" is distinctly nu-metal, but unlike "The Lie", it doesn't work. Austin's scream-rapping comes back again, and like with "Pain" it is not good on the ears. He is much better as just a straight up screamer/singer. It's obvious in "Relentless" he's trying to imitate Chester of LP, he may be even paying some homage to him. While that's admirable, his imitation is not good. Lyrically the song is a generic pump-up anthem: "No I won't quit, get over it, you'll never win/I will survive/I am relentless". If the song was fun, the lyrics would probably get a pass from me, but this song is not fun by any stretch of the word."Down the Road" is forgettable; nothing much to say about it. The same goes for the closer "Transfigured", which tries to be the powerful ballad that  songs like "Space Enough to Grow", "Another You" and "My Understandings" were. But it does not work, as the passion that went into those songs isn't present in this one. It ends the album on an uninteresting note, which is fitting because that is the word to describe this album (uninteresting).

Don't get me wrong: I don't hate Of Mice and Men. Even though they're nowhere near one of my favorite bands, I still respect them for the many risks they've taken and how they've evolved their sound. But after a gem of an album in "Restoring Force", "Cold World" is disappointing. It takes a style that belongs back in the early 2000's and tries to make it sound fresh, and I like the idea of trying that. But it does not work on this album. Instead the result is an album that has bland, cliched songs with not much interesting to stay. Only a few songs work on here, and most of them aren't even of the nu metal style. I hope to see better from this group on their next release.

Favorite Songs: "Away", "Game of War", "The Lie"
Least Favorite Songs: "The Hunger", "Like a Ghost" "Contagious", "Relentless", "Pain", "+/-", "Transfigured"

Short Reviews #2

By: James Southworth

Here is the next segment of short reviews, which will be just albums as I haven't had a lot of time to see many movies lately!



"This Could Be Heartbreak" by The Amity Affliction
 Rating: 2/5 Stars

I just want to get this one out of the way. Man was Amity Affliction's new release disappointing. After really enjoying "Let the Ocean Take Me", I was excited to see how this new album could potentially evolve their sound. And the album starts off fairly strong. "I Bring The Weather With Me" might be my favorite Amity song to date. Musically, it is different from anything that the band has done, with some guitar and drum work that really shines, a guitar solo that is just awesome,  and the usage of a choir that works even better than it did on "Pittsburgh". The lyrics are also pretty compelling in the band asking what kind of impact they'll have on people when they die, with clean vocalist Ahren Stringer asking "Will you miss me when I'm gone?"  with some sincere passion in his voice. This song might be both his and unclean vocalist Joel Birch's best vocal performances to date. The title track, while standard Amity fare, keeps the momentum going as an incredibly catchy breakup song where the whole band is having a lot of fun and sounding really tight musically. Unfortunately, this is the last song for a long time that leaves any impact; the album takes a steady dive into dull and eventually really bad content. Songs such as "Nightmare", "Tearing Me Apart", "Note to Self", and "Wishbone" are put together fine, but they are nothing special. All of them just feel the exact same, with the clean and unclean vocals shifting so predictably. They did nothing emotionally for me and just left me bored. Sadly Ahren and Joel's vocals even can't save most of the songs on here, as they sound pretty passionless with the topics of depression and loneliness they're addressing- maybe it's because they've done this so many times and need to try something new for once. "All F***ed Up" tries to tackle depression and uncontrollable panic, but the lyrics simply do not do justice to this very serious topic; in fact unlike "Let the Ocean Take Me", this song offers no light at the end of the tunnel and instead just stays deep in its murky, depressing tone throughout. This is a problem persisting throughout the whole album, but this song is the biggest shining example of it. "O.M.G.I.M.Y" is undoubtedly this band's worst song to date. I knew from seeing the cringe-worthy text message styled title ("FML" had a stupid title like this too, but the good lyrics and song structure saved it) that this song would be bad. It's torture to hear two talented vocalists reduced to whining idiots who sing about how they miss this girl they broke up with. The song is purely bad through and through; I don't want to listen to it ever again. The only other song that lifts this album up a little bit is the closing track "Blood in My Mouth", which does truly feel epic and actually has decent lyrics that break from the otherwise generic lyrical formula present on almost every other track on this album. But otherwise, this album is a huge disappointment from a really talented band. They took few risks here and instead attempted to make a clone of "Let the Ocean Take Me", which was a bad move. I'm hoping they do better on their next album.

Favorite Songs: "I Bring the Weather With Me", "Blood in My Mouth", "This Could Be Heartbreak"
Least Favorite Songs: "O.M.G.I.M.Y", "All F***ed Up", "Wishbone", "Note to Self",  "Nightmare", "Some Friends"

"Treehouse" by I See Stars
 Rating: 4/5 Stars

 With the departure of unclean vocalist Zach Johnson, I was uncertain of where I See Stars would take their sound after a pretty good album in "New Demons". This band have certainly proven that they are still fine even without their clean vocalist as they have released what is probably their strongest release to date in "Treehouse". I was really surprised by this album in a good way (unlike Amity's album). Here we have a lot more clean vocals with the unclean taking effective control when the intensity is needed. The electronic elements feel even more present than before, creating an album with a very chill and oftentimes atmospheric feel. "Calm Snow" immediately establishes that atmosphere in a very cool way. The ambience is just awesome in this song, as is the continuing epic build of the song; it's really a great intro. "White Lies" is easily my favorite song on the album, sung with entirely clean vocals, and sounding beautiful, with Devin Oliver's vocals sounding better than ever. I usually don't put songs about breakups as my favorite, but with admittedly clever lyrics like "Said you'd be there to the bitter end/Your voice feels bitter now", it's hard to dislike this song. "Everyone is Safe in the Treehouse" stands out as another highlight, with a super catchy chorus and some shouted vocals (not necessarily screams) that hint at intensity. This intensity that has been hinted at more and more with each track is finally delivered in full force with the second best track on this record "Running With Scissors". This track is pitch perfect, using a superb guitar riff combined with electronic elements that really stick. The theme about trying to run from past demons is something most anyone will connect with. While I was a little hesitant on "Mobbin' Out" at first, it has grown on me, and the breakdown it has is pretty awesome. "Portals" reminds of old I See Stars and will definitely be a fan favorite. "Yellow King" ends things off on a subdued note that leaves you ready for more. There are a few weak points in this album, however. "Walking on Gravestones" was not a very interesting instrumental, and it just goes on for too long. "Light in the Cave" is nothing special, feeling like a generic metal song with not much interesting going on. And while I respect I See Stars for taking risks on "All In", it still is a bit of a weak track and feels like it doesn't belong with the atmospheric traits of the rest of the tracks on here. Overall though, this album is just awesome and a lot of fun to listen to. It's definitely one of the best metal albums of the year so far!

Favorite Songs: "White Lies", "Running With Scissors", "Everyone is Safe in the Treehouse", "Calm Snow", "Yellow King", "Mobbin' Out"
Least Favorite Songs: "Walking on Gravestones", "All In", "Light in the Cave"

"Desolate Divine" by The Color Morale
 Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

The Color Morale is one of my top 20 bands and undoubtedly my favorite band off of Fearless records, so I was definitely excited for this record. Their last album "Hold On, Pain Ends" was enjoyable at first, but it did not have a good replay factor, and the album definitely didn't hold up compared to some of their other releases, with the only impactful hits being "Suicide; Stigma", "Developing Negative", and "Outer Demons".  Thankfully, this band's newest release, "Desolate Divine" delivers very good stuff, having Color Morale going back to their roots with the deeper guttural screaming and minimizing on the higher rap/screams done by lead vocalist Garrett Rapp. I'm not saying his style of screams is bad, but they only really worked on "Know Hope". This album does a great job at embracing both the old and new sound of this band. There is no better representation of this than in the first and my personal favorite song off the album, "Lonesome Soul". This song instantly captured my attention with its hard rock guitar riff, and Garrett's clean vocals sounding better than ever. The song tugs at the heartstrings with lyrics like "This is the end of what we used to know/I'm breathing just fine, but am I alive?/I'm living safe as a lonesome soul". The first single "Walls" was what got me interested in this album, and the song is still a highlight, having the catchiest chorus on the album as well as talking about a compelling theme of shutting yourself off from the world. The trading of clean and unclean vocals in the chorus is effective in making this an intense song. There are several other great songs here, such as "Version of Me", which feels like it could be right at  home on "Know Hope". "Clip Paper Wings" is a touching song about how imperfections can make perfection in their own way; the mood of this song is made even better by the beautiful string arrangement. "Broken Vessels" works very well as a more pop rock styled song; Color Morale took a risk with this song and it ends up paying off. The album has a pretty solid closing with the highlights "Fauxtographic Memory" and "Keep Me in My Body", both having an epic feel in their own way. There are some shortcomings in this album, however. "Trail of Blood" felt like something typical from the band and didn't bring anything new to the table. "Home Bittersweet Home" and "Misery Hates Company" are a little cheesy in lyrical content and don't have much musical variation. "Perfect Strangers" is an admissible ballad but doesn't pack the punch that "Fill;Avoid" has. Overall, "Desolate Divine" is a return to form for the boys of Color Morale and a great metal/rock album in general. This one will get repeat lessons for sure.

Favorite Songs: "Lonesome Soul", "Fauxtographic Memory", "Walls", "Broken Vessel", "Version of Me"
Least Favorite Songs: "Trail of Blood", "Home Bittersweet Home", "Misery Hates Company

"Bad Omens" by Bad Omens
Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

 
I got interested in this group when I heard the song "The Fountain". I could tell they drew a lot of influences from Bring Me the Horizon, but they were also able to make a pretty unique sound. I saw that Bad Omens had potential. Unfortunately, their debut is not the album to entirely prove this potential. Not that every song is bad; there is definitely some good stuff on here. Interestingly enough, the good stuff comes whenever the group is going as hard hitting as they can or as soft as they can. "Feral" is a real standout track, as it uses some interesting electronic elements and lead vocalist Nicholas Ryan sounds appropriately menacing. "Malice" and "Hedonist" are both absolutely insane songs with some great guitar and drum work as well as some great guttural screams (though "Malice" works better than "Hedonist"). I felt the intensity on both of these songs; they just really worked. "Crawl" is the softest song on the album, and is my personal favorite. It stands in stark contrast to the rest of the album, as it is entirely quiet and Ryan's vocals sound smooth and beautiful here. There is a depressing tone in the song that matches the lyrics, and it definitely made me  feel the sadness Bad Omens were wanting me to feel. And of course, "The Fountain" is a great way to end off the album, with a very epic sound as well as the return of the electronic elements. There is definitely some good stuff on here, but many other songs suffer, as they both musically and lyrically can be a bit cliched, and bring BMTH constantly to mind. "Reprise (Sound of the End)" is the prime example of this, reminding WAY too much of "Shadow Moses". This makes the song sound bland and uncomfortably plagiarizing. "Enough, Enough Now" tries to exude emotion by having a slow backing sound paired with Ryan's screams, but it does not work. It feels manipulative and forced. "Glass Houses", "Exit Wounds", and "The Worst in Me" all have that BMTH familiarity to them, and they are all three pretty boring songs in general, all having similar structures. They start the album off on a bad note. "The Letdown" is an the only other song on here I felt had potential as it felt more original, and I could see Bad Omens using the style of this song and perfecting it in the future. But for now, I just hope to see Bad Omens stop so clearly riding the coattails of other bands and make their own sound. Right now, with maybe the exception of "The Letdown", there aren't any indications of real originality, and that weighs this album down significantly.

Favorite Songs: "Crawl", "The Fountain", "Feral", "The Letdown", "Malice"
Least Favorite Songs: "Reprise (Sound of the End"), "Enough, Enough Now", "Glass Houses", "Exit Wounds", "The Worst in Me", "Broken Youth"

A Day to Remember "Bad Vibrations" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

I have just recently discovered A Day to Remember, and I have to say, I was really surprised to find myself digging their style. I know that the pop/punk/metal genre is pretty popular with many as other bands such as Chunk!No Captain Chunk! and even certain Beartooth songs have used this genre before. I've never really been a huge fan of this style, but I found myself really liking the compelling and creative ways ADTR uses it. ADTR is one of  the bands that made this interesting genre mixture popular, especially with their very successful album "Homecoming". Ever since this band has been a huge staple in their genre and has continued to grow their fan base. I personally think they reached a high point with "Common Courtesy", a very dynamic album with some interesting lyrical content and a lot of different styles, even incorporating some hard rock elements. It took risks, and the payoff was amazing. Now with their newest album, "Bad Vibrations", the band has gone independent under their own record label. This makes for an amazing album that combines the harder textures of their older albums while keeping the maturity and lyrical complexity of their newer releases. ADTR uses their newfound freedom to their advantage, experimenting a lot on this album. It's not a perfect release by any means, but it is definitely a LOT of fun.

The album begins excellently with the title track. This song is easily one of the most hard hitting tracks this band has ever done, with lead vocalist Jeremy McKinnon's vocals sounding incredibly angry and aggressive. You can really feel the tension throughout this whole track, as the impressive and prominent guitar and drum work add to the mood of this song. The lyrics are interesting as Jeremy discusses an individual who is an unavoidable poison in his life: "I can feel your bad vibrations/All around me/All consuming/Corrupting all that I am". The breakdown on this song is an absolute delight. "Paranoia", while not as musically or lyrically compelling as the preceding track is still a lot of fun. This song is straight up punk rock, and the repeating guitar riff in the song works in its favor. The song is about exactly what the title implies, and the musical textures of this song really emphasize this feeling that Jeremy is expressing of not being able to trust anyone. It never slows down; the ante of the song is continually upped until the amazing breakdown happens, and it is once again the highlight of the song.

This album goes on an amazing winning streak starting with the song "Exposed". Easily the hardest track on the album, this song has an incredible opening with a powerful guitar riff that will have you banging your head in no time. The first time I heard this riff I smiled because of how fun it was. The lyrics are also some of the best on this album, having a angry and politically charged message that works: "Inroads to the hangman's noose /We got a lot to lose/Is this where you wanna be?/Exhumed they're not through with you until you're left exposed/Is this who you wanna be?" There's a lot to interpret from these lyrics, but  it seems to me that Jeremy is saying here that if we only rely on political/celebrity figures to solve everything for us, then we will all be left exposed. The aggressive message is justified with the unrelenting brutality of this song, coming to a climax with an explosive breakdown. I was left breathless by the end of this track; it's an undeniable highlight. "Bullfight" is easily my favorite song on the album. This is most experimental I've ever heard ADTR go, as the song is almost purely hard rock, with no indication of the pop/punk style they are known for. Musically this song is just superb, as it dynamically shifts from its quiet beginning to a hard hitting chorus. The most fun shift, though, is when the song unexpectedly transitions into a breakdown/guitar riff that is just incredible. On another song, this could've been awkward, but in the context of this song, it works very effectively. The lyrics of this song are interesting as they talk about how people don't want to truly get to know each other's struggles: "Everybody's head's hung low/They don't ask, they don't wanna know us... I get so misunderstood". I think everybody can find at least one part of this song that they can like. This might honestly be one of the best songs of the year. 

The winning streak of "Bad Vibrations" continues with "Reassamble", the last harder song. While this one doesn't quite pack the punch that the title track or "Exposed" do, it still is unabashed fun, and I found myself singing along to the chorus pretty quickly. Another highlight appears in the song "Justified", which feels like it could comfortably fit on "Common Courtesy" more than any other song on this album. The lyrics "Burn me alive/If you feel that's justified/But I need more than faith/To see you on the other side"  are compelling in their usage of spiritual metaphor to accentuate a relationship that is in rough waters. The song is pop/punk through and through, and ADTR nails the style solidly here, making the song that much more enjoyable. While not one of my big favorites, "We Got This" is a positive track that I can see effectively working in a live setting. But where this album really shines in its latter,  more pop/punk leaning half is in the song "Turn Off the Radio". I really have to commend Jeremy's vocals here as he uses his higher vocal register, and it sounds glorious. The chorus here is easily the catchiest on the whole album, and it is made even more memorable in its usage of the radio as a metaphor for the media: "Turn off the radio/Till they have something real to say/I need an answer, I've got the questions/Can't anyone out there just relate?". Addressing the media's lack of ability to address anything of importance is a hard topic to address, but it works in this song. 

 There are a few negative points to address from this album. "Naivety" is very generic pop/punk and probably the weakest song on the album. The song has Jeremy talking about wishing he was younger, which feels like a pretty cliched topic for a pop/punk band to do. The song also has very little musical variation, with both choruses sounding the same, the breakdown feeling standard and unneeded, and the chorus is more annoying than catchy. "Same About You", while having some good musical moments, is still just a standard breakup song with nothing new to say ("No I'll never/Feel the same/The same about you"). The chorus is repeated one too many times, as is the title of the song in said chorus. The song does have a few good moments with the great guitar work, but it doesn't entirely save the song. "Negative Space" is another hard rock song, but it doesn't work quite as well as "Bullfight", having a standard structure as well as addressing the idea of everyone letting you down in an uninteresting way. Jeremy's vocals aren't bad but they feel oddly disconnected here as well. I'm  sure a lot of people from Florida will dig "In Florida", but this song just didn't do it for me, as I couldn't connect with it. "Forgive and Forget" is honestly just forgettable, a throwaway final track that felt rushed compared to other songs on here.

Overall, "Bad Vibrations" is a great album that really blew my expectations away. While this album isn't as good as "Common Courtesy", it still is a fun release to listen to, as it was cool to see ADTR able to do whatever they wanted, making some cool experimental choices in their style, especially on the first half of this album. There's something for fans of their harder style and for fans who like their softer pop/punk style. ADTR ultimately uses their talents in metal and pop/punk to the best of their abilities to make an album that can warrant many repeat listens. While it's not perfect by any means, this album is still a fun summer/fall release that is sure to be liked by old fans and attract some new ones as well!

Favorite Songs: "Bullfight", "Turn Off the Radio", "Exposed", "Justified", "Bad Vibrations", "Reassemble"

Least Favorite Songs: "Naivety", "Forgive and Forget", "Same About You", "Negative Space"