| BEST 2010 ALBUMS: #5. THE WONDER YEARS - 'The Upsides' |
| Written by Sarah Mudgway | |||
| Friday, 31 December 2010 17:40 | |||
#5. THE WONDER YEARS - The Upsides  Ever since this album was released back in January, I’ve been obsessed to the point of annoyance to others around me, most of whom were quick to dismiss it as "just another whiny pop-punk album". They weren’t totally wrong. 'The Upsides' is undeniably a pop-punk album, but to label it as ‘just another’ is totally missing the point. As vocalist and lyricist Dan ‘Soupy’ Campbell writes on the liner notes: "The Upsides is about fighting back..." 'The Upsides' is a big middle finger to all the things in the world that bring you down - covering everything from hating school ('My Last Semester'), vans breaking down ('New Years With Carl Weathers'), relationships breaking up ('Melrose Diner') to using religion as an excuse ('Dynamite Shovel'). It’s a no holds barred insight into the lives of young men persevering through the worst of times and holding on to the knowledge that it’s all going to be fine. "I’m not sad anymore" is a line used throughout the album and 100% describes my state of mind after listening to it. Gone are the songs about cereal and the synths found on their debut. This is pop-punk in its purest form, and shows an extreme improvement in ALL areas. The dueling guitars fit perfectly, the drumming is solid, the vocals and lyrics are more confident and the production is crisp. Ending with the perfect ‘All My Friends Are In Bar Bands’ which features all six members of the band singing the line "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..." with Soupy taking the last line. 'The Upsides' is one of the best pop-punk releases in recent times, and hey, maybe if you give it a shot you’ll feel less sad too. MUST-LISTEN: 'My Last Semester', 'New Years With Carl Weathers', 'Hey Thanks', 'All My Friends Are In Bar Bands', 'Melrose Diner'. YOU WILL LIKE, IF YOU LIKE: New Found Glory, blink-182, Set Your Goals, Fireworks, Valencia... and awesome uplifting messages. MUST WATCH: The Wonder Years' 'Melrose Diner' music video...  |
