I was actually tempted to make a post last weekend but didn't want to double post. I decided to throw on TAYF during a jog and man, it's really just a damn good album, front to back. For me, it really has this first album try-whatever-nervous-energy that was lost as their career took off. I'm a huge fan of most of their albums, but it really is no wonder that so many people connected with TAYF and propelled them to scene royalty.
I know it’s an over used word, especially when describing first albums of punk/emo/alt bands that went more pop-y later on, but the energy on TAYF is just so so good. Everyone is going all out on their instruments and vocals, all the emotion is there, the lyrics capture every possible feeling about young love and friendships and how someone feels when they go wrong, etc. So many of those lyrics would come of cheesy if not sung the way they’re sung (or screamed) and with the melodies they used. Okay sure fine the lyrics are still cheesy in a lot of ways but it’s hard to pull off cheesy lyrics in a way that everyone wants to sing along to. Like, the whole bridge/outro of Blue Channel, those lyrics are cheesy but captures the feelings they’re trying to capture so well. And then having Adam go into the drawn out “promise me” while John flips the line a bit in the background “they don’t line MY mirror” with the venom in his voice saying it…just perfect.
The "proooomiiise meeee" always give me the chills. So many great parts like that on the album. I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion or not but I much prefer the demo version of "Great Romances" to the finished version. The bells are better than the cheap orchestra synth pads or whatever they used, and the "beautiful girl" bit is iconic.
The hooks and energy of TAYF are mostly lightning-in-a-bottle great. But, there’s something about the sound that I’ve really lost interest in over the years. Something about the vocals and the, I guess, production. And, the lyrics are so squarely “teen boys’ feelings” in a way that I just don’t vibe with, lol. Everything I used to love about it is also true for WYWTB, but that one has a tone that works much better for me. The sound and general vibe are something I like spending time in much more, and while the lyrics and energy still feel youthful, it’s more so in a way that can translate to someone growing older and looking back (vs TAYF, which at times feels embarrassing like an old picture or journal entry).
Yeah, I can totally agree with this despite knowing every word and cherishing the album overall. It's definitely a tough sell to anyone who wasn't around those ages around those times (or maybe younguns can still connect with it?), but for those of us who were there at the time, it was spot on and spawned a million AIM away messages and Myspace themes. I do think a few of the songs hold up as more mature and have aged pretty well (You Know and Ghost Man) and I do still appreciate the dynamics through the record as a whole.
I’ll Find a Way To Make It What You Want is my favorite closer and one of my favorite TBS songs. I love that they resisted the urge to make the vocals big at the end and let them get drowned out by the instruments. Perfect for an album called “Tidal Wave”
Yeah, I totally get what you mean regarding the lyrics on TAYF. I actually feel the same way about Sum 41's All Killer No Filler, too. It's all very high school and while you can relate to those emotions in your teen years, it's hard to feel the same way when you're in your mid-twenties (in my case).
I ended up working it out and I'm sticking with Night 1. Are tickets sold out now? I checked a few days ago and it looked like they were still available.
I have nothing but positive things to say about TAYF, but WYWTB is better for me. Adam really became a frontman and Fred brought arena rock guitar to the table. I like Straylight Run more than TBS though.
Holiday show tonight was a lot of fun. Unfortunately John had a family emergency so he had to back out of these shows but Fred still killed it. Was a fun setlist, bunch of stuff they don’t normally play. Got Slowdance on the Inside (which I don’t think they ever played live with Fred before), Best Places to Be a Mom, Miami, This Photograph is Proof and an Eagles cover. Also I had never heard Oragami Angel before but they absolutely killed it. Was playing them my entire car ride home
I remember that 89X in Canada used to play it all the time and back then I never realized it was the same band that did "MakeaDamnSure." Looking back I'm surprised that they played that song a lot considering it's not a major fan favorite. Glad that they gave it some love.
Just skipping through the video, seems like everything sounded pretty great. Adam sounds good as far as I can tell - I know this is just his thing forever, but if he would just move around a liiiiittle less, and focus on singing the parts, he'd sound even better
Fred really is a consummate pro with playing the songs he didn’t write. Love hearing his take on S’Old and The One.
i mean he didn't write the "Tell All Your Friends" tracks and plays those. Not a dig, just a reminder how hilarious this bands timeline is.
New American Classic sounds even more emo in that lower tuning. Glad to see Beat Up Car here as well, Happiness Is remains my favorite post-reunion work (I don't even know what to call the current iteration though, we need a new word for that lol)
idk if its a Fred coming back thing, but playing a full step down (as has already been discussed in here) is just such a difference maker for their live show quality.