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Mayday Parade – Anywhere But Here
Photo Credit: Flickr.com
Derek Sanders of Mayday Parade
Written by Angela Trinh, Staff Writer
Before Anywhere But Here came out, everyone was already hesitant about the songs Mayday Parade would offer without the front man Jason Lancaster. Listeners believed that anything Mayday Parade did post-Lancaster would be lacking that recognizable sound that separates the band from other alternative pop music groups. Although Derek Sanders is no Lancaster, he definitely brings something else to the table.
If you are about to listen to this album with high expectations, be ready to hate it. But if you are willing to put aside the fact that Lancaster is gone, then get ready to be pleasantly surprised.
The new Mayday Parade may not sound like their previous music, but the record emphasizes the band’s instrumental maturity as well as Sanders’ continued vocal progress, making it almost as good. They craft a nice record with the catchy choruses, memorable guitar leads, catchy main riffs and Sanders’ soaring vocals, all backed by an assertive rhythm section.
My favorite track, “I Swear This Time I Mean It,” particularly stands out from the rest of the album being the only acoustic song on the record. And it could not be any more appropriate, because the song expresses a sense of sorrow with the acoustic music enhancing the melancholy emotion. Everyone has experienced the guilty feeling of wanting to be forgiven for doing something wrong, but this song emphasizes how sorry he really is and is trying to beg for forgiveness, guaranteeing that it would be the last time he wrongs her. The song really shows that the lyrics were heartfelt and meaningful, not just something written because there was a deadline. The somber music and pensive lyrics makes the overall album even better.
When listening to the lyrics on each track, it is easy to visualize the setting and the story being told. Although the lyrics narrate a mini-movie in your head, it takes away from the insightful lyrics. Lacking the perceptive element in these songs make it very concrete and very hard to find another meaning. Lacking the factor of mystery, the interpretation of the song is very limited and do not appeal to the curious soul.
Overall, the album has many catchy tunes including “Kids in Love”, “Anywhere But Here,” and “Bruised and Scarred,” but the concept of it all is not as original. The personal, emotional lyrics that is made into a pop-rock song have been done before. The album lacks variation in the sense that all the songs have the same emotional feeling; the feeling of lost love, heartache and heartbreak, while lacking the element of deep and insightful lyrics. On the other hand, the album makes its comeback even after the loss of the front man. The different tracks of “Anywhere But Here” work well together, and as a whole, deserves to be heard.
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February 6th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Hi Everybody! I agree totally. BTW It seems like I know alot of you already. That seems weird, but I have been lurking as you call it for a few weeks – now its an addiction LOL! I wake up to check posts and before bed and some in between!
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