The Starting Line - Eternal Youth (September 26, 2025) • Page 22

Yeah, this fucking rules. The only saw I don't love is Deafeating the Purpose, it gets pretty repetitive

 

Kenny is no question a real deal, super talented musician all around, and I'm so happy to be alive at the same time he's making music.

 

"Enjoyment" is so bloody good.

 

Curveball is sick

 

loooooved it can't wait to love it forever

 

Only got through half on my drive to work this morning but I loved what I heard

 

Has anyone received shipping updates for physical orders from just merch?

 

Mostly loving it! Singles + Enjoyment are the standouts for me.

Will have to cut Defeating the Purpose to enjoy future album plays though

 

Two listens through this while driving out of town for work. Initial thoughts are....

It rules, first and foremost. My early favorites are "I See How It Is", "Enjoyment" and the title track. I most enjoy the sections where they take a bit of a turn.

This album might have the overall best work Kenny's done on bass. He adds so many great flourishes everywhere. He's really an underrated player (particularly how he can sing and play bass during the verses of "Blame" live - those two things are so independent of each other).

Agree on the production sort of contributing to the "samey" feel throughout (I'm a bit surprised by the lack of dynamics in the songs themselves), but nothing about it is really a dealbreaker for me. The songs are still so strong.

Just overall, I'm really enjoying the spirit of the album. As much as I love BOATS and Direction, I can still feel the push and pull going on there between trying to sound a certain way/breaking away from SILYMI, attempting to maintain relevancy, infighting with labels, etc. This album just feels like it has no agenda. It's just fun and exists solely for the love of making music.

 

Defeating The Purpose + Pivot takes me back to Artistic License.

This is their heaviest sounding release too. I’m all for it.

 

I am so giddy listening to a new TSL album

 

This is exactly the vibe I got from the album too, and especially from reading one of the interviews that was posted, it was their intention - this is a no frills, fun rock songs record, and I'm here for it.

 

I cannot believe how good this is. The singles are probably the weakest songs on here. The whole last half of this is just excellent—absolutely disagree that it peters out by the end. I’m stunned that nearly 20 years after direction they still sound this good

 

Hell yeah. And artistic license is such an underrated beast on that record. so good.

 

Opener is amazing too

 

Maybe thats why I dont like Defeating the Purpose lol. Cause I dont like Artistic license.

 

6 listens in and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
So cool to see the new songs creep up their streaming charts.

 

I hear that Title Fight influence on Curveball

 

This album is wonderful and I’m not even half way through my first listen. I won’t bother with comparisons or this sounds like yet because I feel it’s so raw and organic sounding. Just pure pop punk bliss.

 

The kick drum on Blame is so fun. Also "Enjoyment" is my favorite.

 

Benchmark goes crazy. What am I listening to!? It’s nothing like TSL and yet it works

 

EP. 357 - Ken Vasoli (The Starting Line)

Podcast interview out today.

 

there’s a main page?

 

I’m two listens in.

Overall, I dig it.

However, there are too many times I have no idea what Kenny is singing. Not a fan of that.

Need more time with it and hopefully the vinyl liner notes will have the lyrics.

 

I don’t hate the production but with Kenny’s deeper voice/being a bit mush mouthed, I wish they mixed it differently or something