Released: March 26, 2013
Record Label: Pure Noise Records
I don't like Pure Noise Records, let's be clear about that. There are exactly two bands that I like on it: Daybreaker and the band I'm reviewing today, The Story So Far. For those who don't know, The Story So Far is a five-piece band from Walnut Creek, CA (about an hour from where I live) with pop-punk, punk, and hardcore influences. They developed a reasonably big following in the East Coast before signing with Pure Noise, before releasing their debut full-length, Under Soil and Dirt, in 2011. The album was a somewhat short record that was well received by the public and critics alike. Off the momentum of two singles, "Quicksand" and "Roam," the latter of which was my favorite on the album, their following grew exponentially. Now, in late March they are releasing their long awaited sophomore album called What You Don't See.
So, as some of you may know, many bands experience that "sophomore slump," and subsequently lose whatever momentum they had gained from the debut and before. Going into this record, I kept in mind that this could very well happen to a band that I have seen live and love listening to. At the same time, what made TSSF so good was the pure emotion that vocalist Parker Cannon elicited on nearly every song (a notable example would be "Daughters" on the debut).
The first song I heard from What You Don't See was "Right Here," which was slightly different from the Under Soil and Dirt album, but I still really liked. It took a few listens to really appreciate it, but when I did I decided that it was one of the better tracks they had released. They released another song, "Like Glass," which I actually didn't hear till listening to the album as a whole. That being said, the leak for the album was put out, albeit in bad quality. I couldn't resist getting it, though I had the album on preorder as part of a promotion the band did.
This is my first album review for the blog, so I'm going to divide this actual review into two parts: the album as a whole and a short take on each song. Enough background, let's get to it:
Album as a Whole
Usually when I listen to an album for a first time, I don't pay attention to lyrics, just how it sounds in general. So, this would be generally how the songs blend together, how the instruments on each individual song mesh together; it's just a chemistry thing I suppose.
What You Don't See is pretty different from the debut Under Soil and Dirt, but don't be fooled; what made that album great is present on this one, but with better sound. That sounds badly worded, but what I mean by that was although there is a different tone and overall sound, it still takes what was good from Under Soil and Dirt and adds on to it. The only flaw with this new album was the transition from the "slower" songs (quotations because that's really not the case, but it's all relative) from the opening track "Things I Can't Change" to "Stifled" seemed a bit rushed. I believe that's more of a production problem than anything else, but there should have been more of a smooth transition.
Otherwise, the album flows well, and the subjects of the lyrics (ranging from bad relationships to distance to loneliness) don't completely throw me off guard. The sound is consistent throughout the album, with Parker sounding better than ever. His strength is, though he doesn't have a strong voice like with Matty Arsenault (of A Loss for Words) or Ben Kotin (of Such Gold), the aforementioned emotion he puts forth is really present here. This is so with the other vocalists, but for me personally I can genuinely feel what he feels, even if I can't completely relate to what he is saying.
As far as the instruments are concerned, drummer Ryan Torf has really stepped up his game. He knows when to slow it down and when to speed up into his double-time drumming when appropriate. The songs don't just feel fast for the sake of it; this is a difficult concept to convey, but with a lot of pop-punk bands, especially those that try to have that hardcore tinge, the drumming is usually discordant with the rest of the band. The guitarists didn't really change much from the first album, but they still sound great. It's a different key than the first album, but the type of band that TSSF is didn't really change much.
Overall, I'd give this portion a 8/10, for the general sound being good but clumsy transitions here and there.
Short Takes on Songs
The songs here are generally great, and the songs individually are great. Some do fare out better than others, though:
1. Things I Can't Change: This is a great opener for the album. Starts out with a tom-heavy beat led by Kofin, and Parker shows exactly what we're in for. Probably my favorite on the album for how well it all comes together. 10/10
2. Stifled: As I mentioned earlier, the transition to this song is a bit clumsy, but it eventually picks up. It's about dealing with distance and the insecurity that comes with a long-distance relationship. The lyrics are wonderful, but I didn't think this song came together like the preceding did. 7/10
3. Small Glass: This is what I am talking about. This is most reminiscent of their older material, and Parker just sounds awesome. It deals with hiding insecurity and having "small talk" (pardon the redundancy) to hide everything. Great song, and a must listen. 10/10
4. Playing the Victim: Another good song, and it sounds different than the rest of the album. There's a lot of metaphor here, for example when Parker claims "That air that dries your lungs/But you kept our trust." I'd check it out. 9/10
5. Right Here: This took some time to grow on me. It's really different from most of the album, but honestly I think it was a great choice for a first single. The song is about how even being with someone you can still be alone; not a new topic but I love the way Parker goes about it. The guitar work here is my favorite on the album, and it really is a must listen. 10/10
6. Empty Space: This was the first music video released for the record. It's very anthemic, and will be a staple live. Not much more to say, as it isn't one of my favorites on the records but it has a good place in my heart. Extremely catch, I must say. 8/10
7. Like Glass: Most people claim this is their favorite on the record, and I can really see why. What a chorus: it is just so catchy and fun to sing along with. Parker sings in his higher register the entire time, which can come across as trying too hard to be emotional, but that is not the case here. One of the few songs that doesn't start immediately; there is some buildup and it really works for them. 9/10
8. All Wrong: I love the drum work here. I love it, absolutely love it. The chorus is my favorite on the album besides "Things I Can't Change." The lyrics, from what I interpreted, deals with denial and is one of the stronger lyrical tracks. Need I mention, it's incredibly catch and the solo at the end is simple but effective. 10/10
9. Bad Luck: It's about taking the blame and being in denial (again). Parker's vocals on the chorus and each subsequent one gets stronger. It's one of the shorter songs, but it says all it needs to say. 8/10
10. Face Value: I thought this was a little boring, to be honest. It's not bad, by any means. It seems a bit rushed, though. I must say that the guitar work in the bridge was pretty cool. It seems to drag, however, and that's ultimately what hurts it. 6/10
11. Framework: This is a short record, and the closer here is one of the longest, clocking in at 3:07. I just love the opening to the song, as it feels like a satisfying closer. The guitar work here is one of those things you want to hum along with. It's about dealing with an evolving complexity of a failed relationship. Everything comes together and forms an absolutely great closer. Whatever momentum that the opener built and was sustained was ended brilliantly here. 10/10
Final Thoughts
For anyone that listens to pop-punk, this is definitely a must have. The Story So Far definitely didn't disappoint with their sophomore year, and even might be a game-changer. It was a great album, and I hope that What You Don't See will further propel The Story So Far up to where they deserve to be with popularity. One of my favorite releases this year, for sure.
Album Score: 9/10
Record Label: Pure Noise Records
I don't like Pure Noise Records, let's be clear about that. There are exactly two bands that I like on it: Daybreaker and the band I'm reviewing today, The Story So Far. For those who don't know, The Story So Far is a five-piece band from Walnut Creek, CA (about an hour from where I live) with pop-punk, punk, and hardcore influences. They developed a reasonably big following in the East Coast before signing with Pure Noise, before releasing their debut full-length, Under Soil and Dirt, in 2011. The album was a somewhat short record that was well received by the public and critics alike. Off the momentum of two singles, "Quicksand" and "Roam," the latter of which was my favorite on the album, their following grew exponentially. Now, in late March they are releasing their long awaited sophomore album called What You Don't See.
So, as some of you may know, many bands experience that "sophomore slump," and subsequently lose whatever momentum they had gained from the debut and before. Going into this record, I kept in mind that this could very well happen to a band that I have seen live and love listening to. At the same time, what made TSSF so good was the pure emotion that vocalist Parker Cannon elicited on nearly every song (a notable example would be "Daughters" on the debut).
The first song I heard from What You Don't See was "Right Here," which was slightly different from the Under Soil and Dirt album, but I still really liked. It took a few listens to really appreciate it, but when I did I decided that it was one of the better tracks they had released. They released another song, "Like Glass," which I actually didn't hear till listening to the album as a whole. That being said, the leak for the album was put out, albeit in bad quality. I couldn't resist getting it, though I had the album on preorder as part of a promotion the band did.
This is my first album review for the blog, so I'm going to divide this actual review into two parts: the album as a whole and a short take on each song. Enough background, let's get to it:
Album as a Whole
Usually when I listen to an album for a first time, I don't pay attention to lyrics, just how it sounds in general. So, this would be generally how the songs blend together, how the instruments on each individual song mesh together; it's just a chemistry thing I suppose.
What You Don't See is pretty different from the debut Under Soil and Dirt, but don't be fooled; what made that album great is present on this one, but with better sound. That sounds badly worded, but what I mean by that was although there is a different tone and overall sound, it still takes what was good from Under Soil and Dirt and adds on to it. The only flaw with this new album was the transition from the "slower" songs (quotations because that's really not the case, but it's all relative) from the opening track "Things I Can't Change" to "Stifled" seemed a bit rushed. I believe that's more of a production problem than anything else, but there should have been more of a smooth transition.
Otherwise, the album flows well, and the subjects of the lyrics (ranging from bad relationships to distance to loneliness) don't completely throw me off guard. The sound is consistent throughout the album, with Parker sounding better than ever. His strength is, though he doesn't have a strong voice like with Matty Arsenault (of A Loss for Words) or Ben Kotin (of Such Gold), the aforementioned emotion he puts forth is really present here. This is so with the other vocalists, but for me personally I can genuinely feel what he feels, even if I can't completely relate to what he is saying.
As far as the instruments are concerned, drummer Ryan Torf has really stepped up his game. He knows when to slow it down and when to speed up into his double-time drumming when appropriate. The songs don't just feel fast for the sake of it; this is a difficult concept to convey, but with a lot of pop-punk bands, especially those that try to have that hardcore tinge, the drumming is usually discordant with the rest of the band. The guitarists didn't really change much from the first album, but they still sound great. It's a different key than the first album, but the type of band that TSSF is didn't really change much.
Overall, I'd give this portion a 8/10, for the general sound being good but clumsy transitions here and there.
Short Takes on Songs
The songs here are generally great, and the songs individually are great. Some do fare out better than others, though:
1. Things I Can't Change: This is a great opener for the album. Starts out with a tom-heavy beat led by Kofin, and Parker shows exactly what we're in for. Probably my favorite on the album for how well it all comes together. 10/10
2. Stifled: As I mentioned earlier, the transition to this song is a bit clumsy, but it eventually picks up. It's about dealing with distance and the insecurity that comes with a long-distance relationship. The lyrics are wonderful, but I didn't think this song came together like the preceding did. 7/10
3. Small Glass: This is what I am talking about. This is most reminiscent of their older material, and Parker just sounds awesome. It deals with hiding insecurity and having "small talk" (pardon the redundancy) to hide everything. Great song, and a must listen. 10/10
4. Playing the Victim: Another good song, and it sounds different than the rest of the album. There's a lot of metaphor here, for example when Parker claims "That air that dries your lungs/But you kept our trust." I'd check it out. 9/10
5. Right Here: This took some time to grow on me. It's really different from most of the album, but honestly I think it was a great choice for a first single. The song is about how even being with someone you can still be alone; not a new topic but I love the way Parker goes about it. The guitar work here is my favorite on the album, and it really is a must listen. 10/10
6. Empty Space: This was the first music video released for the record. It's very anthemic, and will be a staple live. Not much more to say, as it isn't one of my favorites on the records but it has a good place in my heart. Extremely catch, I must say. 8/10
7. Like Glass: Most people claim this is their favorite on the record, and I can really see why. What a chorus: it is just so catchy and fun to sing along with. Parker sings in his higher register the entire time, which can come across as trying too hard to be emotional, but that is not the case here. One of the few songs that doesn't start immediately; there is some buildup and it really works for them. 9/10
8. All Wrong: I love the drum work here. I love it, absolutely love it. The chorus is my favorite on the album besides "Things I Can't Change." The lyrics, from what I interpreted, deals with denial and is one of the stronger lyrical tracks. Need I mention, it's incredibly catch and the solo at the end is simple but effective. 10/10
9. Bad Luck: It's about taking the blame and being in denial (again). Parker's vocals on the chorus and each subsequent one gets stronger. It's one of the shorter songs, but it says all it needs to say. 8/10
10. Face Value: I thought this was a little boring, to be honest. It's not bad, by any means. It seems a bit rushed, though. I must say that the guitar work in the bridge was pretty cool. It seems to drag, however, and that's ultimately what hurts it. 6/10
11. Framework: This is a short record, and the closer here is one of the longest, clocking in at 3:07. I just love the opening to the song, as it feels like a satisfying closer. The guitar work here is one of those things you want to hum along with. It's about dealing with an evolving complexity of a failed relationship. Everything comes together and forms an absolutely great closer. Whatever momentum that the opener built and was sustained was ended brilliantly here. 10/10
Final Thoughts
For anyone that listens to pop-punk, this is definitely a must have. The Story So Far definitely didn't disappoint with their sophomore year, and even might be a game-changer. It was a great album, and I hope that What You Don't See will further propel The Story So Far up to where they deserve to be with popularity. One of my favorite releases this year, for sure.
Album Score: 9/10
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