Feels so weird not to mention the album or anything considering we've known one is coming sometime by the end of the year for a whiiiile now
Is the goal to give the album a "short rollout" by technically only releasing "promotional singles" without an album being officially announced? I don't necessarily hate a long album rollout, but I don't like when bands release half the album ahead of time and, if we already have two songs before the first "official album single" it feels like we might be heading that direction. Feels like TWY usually do normal length rollouts (I think the last three have only been 2-3 months) and only release a couple of songs of songs, which I prefer much more to whatever's going on here. That being said, my main preference is, of course, new music as opposed to no new music, no matter what form the rollout takes
Maybe they are waiting for a concrete vinyl ETA before announcing the record and the current landscape has shaped this odd roll out of new songs.
When I talked to Dan in November, this is pretty much exactly what he said. From my transcript: "We’ve also finished recording a Wonder Years record, but it hasn’t begun the process of mixing yet. And also with vinyl lead times being long right now it’ll be sometime in 2022 for that to come out. We kind of need to see how long it’s going to take to press the vinyl because we don’t want to get into a situation where we promise and underdeliver with that."
I was getting curious about this. They definitely did at least two sessions for this record so I wonder if they recorded more songs than usual.
I kind of hope we don't get any more singles before the album is released. At the most give us one more song when the album is announced to generate preorders, but nothing more. I hate the long rollouts. I love the Wonder Years, so I'll wait impatiently with everyone else.
If I were a betting person (I'm not), since this song didn't come w/album info, I think we'll get another song in late-ish June with the announcement at that time, and the album coming in Sept.
I don't see this album coming out any sooner than September but I do hope I'm wrong. Singles and long album roll outs seems to be the way music works nowadays.
Ideal rollouts for me are the lead single, second one whatever arbitrary time after that, and then the last one during the week of. That or surprise releases lol
Loving both songs so far. Seem less overwhelmingly dark than Sister Cities. I know that album kind of has a matured version of the Upsides arc where it's about trying to find happiness when it seems increasingly difficult, through the support of loved ones and self-care, but it still cane across as their most dejected offering in my view. One big takeaway from these tracks is that the band seems to be answering the criticism sometimes levelled at them (including by Jason here if my memory serves me correctly) that for a pop punk band they often lack big hooks. That's never been an issue for me with the band but nonetheless it's great to hear two shout-along choruses in a row.
Wait... Who here said that these guys lack "big hooks"? TWY have birthed some of the most memorable and catchiest choruses, bridges etc in the history of this genre.
Would be even better since we'll be at Riot Fest (where we got married last year at the actual fest!) and TWY are playing that day! Not counting on it, but would be SO much fun for that to happen. Can't wait for this album either way :)
That’s awesome! Met my girlfriend at the TBS Tidal Wave release show on 9/16 when I came into town for Riot Fest in 2016.