The Wonder Years
Suburbia: I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing
Hopeless Records (2011)
Sounds Like: The Wonder Years of old, just better and wiser
Score: 10/10
On their hike to the top of the pop-punk mountain, The Wonder Years have yet to take a misstep. With two stellar full-length albums (Get Stoked on It! and The Upsides) and an awesome EP (Won’t Be Pathetic Forever) already under their belts, I can’t say I was surprised at how good Suburbia: I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing is. At this point, I’m pretty sure TWY could put out a two-disc polka album and it would be great.
Fortunately, these heavyhearted goofballs opted instead to put out one of the best pop-punk albums of 2011, and that’s saying a lot. Suburbia has not only further tightened TWY’s grip on the scene, but it also proves that they’re able to do what many artists can’t; show progression without changing the characteristics that made them who they are. This record takes everything they’re good at to the next level. The lyrics are deeper, the musicianship is sharper, and the hooks are even catchier.
The first track on the album is fittingly called “Came Out Swinging.” It’s an energetic and fast-paced song about the pitfalls of touring and it immediately lets you know you’re in for something special. This theme of lamenting being away from home seems to be a point of emphasis for charismatic vocalist Soupy Campbell, but aside from that, the lyrical content on Suburbia is all over the place in the best possible way. Suburbia manages to masterfully tackle topics ranging from the Grand Slam at Denny’s to utter heartache and the degradation of American cities.
Lyrically, a standout for me is “I Won’t Say the Lord’s Prayer” in which they intelligently express their views on a subject as touchy as religion without being overbearing. “If we’re all just Christians or lions, I think I’d rather be on the side with sharper teeth,” yells Soupy. “Suburbia” is another particularly cool song which is under a minute long and features Soupy describing his hood and what has become of it. The best showcase of everyone’s talents and undoubtedly the most popular song on the album is “Local Man Ruins Everything.” The Wonder Years are realist pop-punk if nothing else, and this song is the epitome of that. “I don’t have roses in the closet, but I’ve got pictures in a drawer. It’s everything left in me not to stare at them anymore,” says the gang vocal-laced hook. This song also features the best message on any album I’ve heard in a long time, “It’s not about forcing happiness; it’s about not letting sadness win.”
The lyrics are by no means the only impressive aspect of this album. The musicianship is perhaps some of the best we’ve heard The Wonder Years pull off. “And Now I’m Nothing,” the album’s finale and my personal favorite song on Suburbia features the perfect combination of a rad bass line, great work on the guitar and drums, and soaring vocals.
I really believe this album lacks a weak spot. Every song is solid and this feels like a cohesive thirteen-song project instead of individual songs that just so happen to appear on the same record. Suburbia: I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing shows The Wonder Years taking a step forward in each facet of the band, yet keeping their goofy and fun attitudes intact. (One look at Hank the Pigeon on the cover of this record should clue you in that they don’t take themselves too seriously.) If you’re a fan of anything The Wonder Years have done in recent years, or just a fan of amazing music in general, you need to go out and grab a copy of this album as soon as you can!
You can catch The Wonder Years on the Pop Punk’s Not Dead tour with New Found Glory, Set Your Goals, Man Overboard and This Time Next Year at the Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas Nov. 19.
-Felipe Garcia
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