TBS – Tell All Your Friends (Winter Albums)
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
The snow is starting to pack itself in and the winds are not showing any sign of mercy. It is that transition into Winter that comes so sudden and without warning that makes me want to reflect on life. And with that comes reflecting on an old pop-punk album. One that reminds me of the fun in the sun, of warmer weather and carefree spirits. Tell All Your Friends is a classic album and revered by many (older) fans of the genre as a defining staple of pop-punk.
Released at a time the new wave of gothic punk and emo were taking hold of the industry, this album belts out perfect vocal lines that stick in your head forever. The first few seconds are memorable and when I hit play everything rushes back. The album is not very aggressive, but Taking Back Sunday have their moments fueled by young and angst driven emotions. These moments are usually dueling vocals between Lazarra and Nolan, forcing you to sing along and then replay the song to sing the other part just as loud.
It’s hard to reflect on what this album does well. Hell, sitting next to my best friend and all she had to say was “it’s awesome.” Every moment is delicately perfect yet at the same time this album sounds raw and improvised. It’s not like the over-produced albums that come out now. It sounds aged and youthful and the band even recognized that they are not like this anymore on their newest release Happiness Is. This was a one hit wonder and Taking Back Sunday expanded upon as they matured both in sound and age.
For people that have held on to this album for the last eleven years, there are plenty of memories embedded in it. That’s what I believe makes pop-punk so fascinating. It’s about making memories and as many people are fearing the spread of Winter, reminisce on those past memories and keep pushing forward. For new fans to the genre or even younger fans, give this album a spin. It may not be as emotionally in your face as The Wonder Years or Captain, We’re Sinking but these songs are rich and full of character and class. Euthanasia at its finest.
– Sean
