Wednesday, July 22, 2009

12-Step Program - All Time Low

You've been hearing a lot about All Time Low if you've been following this blog, and not just because I was in their music video. All Time Low is one of the most prominent pop punk bands in the scene right now, and is soon to break out into the mainstream, following the footsteps of Boys Like Girls, We the Kings, and Fall Out Boy. If you've never heard of All Time Low and cringe at the radio-friendly pop music that the aforementioned bands have put out, don't be too quick to judge, for All Time Low bring new aspects to their music.


All Time Low may be the next New Found Glory or Blink-182, and you know you don't want to be blindsighted when they start appearing on the radio. If you've never heard of them or have only dabbled in their discography, today is your lucky day, for now I present my 12-Step Program to getting into All Time Low.

All Time have released two EPs and three albums since the band's inception in 2003, but of primary relevence are their three most recent releases, Put Up Or Shut Up, So Wrong, It's Right, and Nothing Personal. Their pop punk formula influenced heavily by Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy has changed somwhat, follwoing (or perhaps leading) similar traends in the scene. Put Up Or Shit Up offers an wintry, autumnal sound with little production, So Wrong, It's Right offers a more pop-oriented sound with more summery leanings, and Nothing Personal offers a completely summery feel with lots of production. For step one of my 12-Step Program, I present "Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)".


"Damned If I Do Ya" is off All Time Low's most recent album Nothing Personal, and reveals their ability to write an incredibly catchy pop song. Singer Alex Gaskarth is a fine songwriter, using clever puns and sweet, memorable choruses. While occasioanlly some of All Time Low's poppier songs can be almost too sweet, they remain incredibly fun to sing along to and priovde an easy getaway from one's preocupations.


Before the blistering pop of Nothing Personal, All Time began the split between pop and pop punk on So Wrong, It's Right, their second album and fourth release. "Dear Maria, Count Me In" retains the slightly autumnal pop punk of Put Up Or Shut Up, but reveals a clear move to a more pop-oriented sound in at least some of the songs. Still, though, "Dear Maria" mainatins all that is good about All Time Low, with clever lyrics and catchy melodies. This is the last time in All Time Low's career that production doesn't play a big part in the sound of their songs.


"Coffeeshop Soundtrack" was All Time Low's first relevant single and is one of their best songs. Off Put Up Or Shut Up, this track has a noticible autumnal feel, which which is replaced by a summery feel in their later albums. "Coffeeshop Soundtrack" is a very well-written, mature song that showcases Alex's unique voice and penchant for harmonies and dual vocals. This track is more in the league of Fall Out Boy's Take This To Your Grave or New Found Glory's Coming Home than radio-friendly more-pop-than-punk We The Kings or Boys Like Girls.


"Remembering Sunday" was All Time Low's first largely acoustic song and proves to be one of their most popular, in a similar vein to Boys Like Girls' "Thunder". The song is one of their most melancholy and tells a story about a boy looking for the girl he loves. Juliett Simms of Automatic Loveletter makes a grand appearance during the brigde of the song, which takes the song to an epic level. "Remembering Sunday" is one of All Time Low's gems in terms of structure and songwriting and is unlike any other, though All Time Low have other acoustic songs to boot.


"Walls" represents All Time Low's true sound: accesible pop punk with just the tiniest bit of edge. Though not as catchy as "Damned If I Do Ya," "Walls" barely approaches the moodiness of Put Up Or Shut Up. "Walls" carries the heay production of Nothing Personal, which is where it differs from similar songs on So Wrong It's Right, but its sound has remained truest to Put Up Or Shut Up while still mainatining a pop aesthetic. Songwriting is mature but simple with clever, self-aware verses and catchy choruses. If the sweetness of the singles is too much, songs like "Walls" are a perfect getaway to the true pop punk sound of All Time Low.

Look at that! A 12-Step Program in only five steps! Hopefully you have an appreciation for All Time Low by now. As long as you can sit back and enjoy without scutinizing every lyrics or chord, All Time Low will be a perfect band for anyone with any pop or rock sensibility. If you just can't get into them, they probably aren't for you. Go listen to your Neutral Milk Hotel and leave the scene alone.

If you liked:
1) "Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't)"
Try: "Weightless," "Lost in Stereo," "The Beach"
2) "Dear Maria, Count Me In"
Try: "Six Feet Under the Stars," "Poppin' Champagne," "Come One, Come All"
3) "Coffeeshop Soundtrack"
Try: "Break Out! Break Out!," "Jasey Rae," "Lullabies"
4) "Remembering Sunday"
Try: "Jasey Rae (Acoustic)," "Break Out! Break Out! (Acoustic)," "Therapy"
5) "Walls"
Try: "Keep the Change, You Filthy Animal," "Stay Awake (Dreams Only Last for a Night)," "Break Your Little Heart"

1 comments:

Tanya said...

Ahh, I love the 12-Step for ATL :)

And I'll be writing a post for here (soon) before updating my own blog.