The Dangerous Summer - The Dangerous Summer (January 26th, 2018) Album • Page 15

Honestly as someone who doesn’t have a ton of nostalgia for the earlier albums since I got into the band fairly recently... I think this could end up my favorite album by them. It’s resonating a lot with me so far, and like you said I think instrumentally it’s a cut above their old stuff.

 

This is a really, really strong comeback. Don’t really have too many thoughts to express right now other than how impressed I am. They really nailed it.

 

Cody was simultaneously a mediocre guitarist but also a huge part of why the band sounded how it did, it’s weird. For a long time I thought TDS would straight-up just not sound like themselves without him, and while this album proves that that isn’t entirely true, it’s still an obvious difference. I’m super glad he’s gone now tho, and I like what Matt has brought to the table here. This is a really strong comeback and I feel like their next record will be even better as they have more time to explore (and refine) what they are capable of with this lineup.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if AJ did at least a little bit of writing in the interim.

 

I totally agree with this. Cody was definitely not technically very impressive, but you don't have to be a great musician to write amazing-sounding parts, and he was a huge part of the sound that I really dug. Matt to his credit isn't trying to be someone he's not, so the band I think is just gonna be a different animal with him handling the guitars. There's a part of me that misses who they were musically, but obviously a much larger part that is glad he's gone.

Side note: I strongly doubt AJ did much (if any) guitar work on the album. I mean this in a loving way, but I don't think I've ever seen a worse bass player - he literally just plays 8th notes on the root of the chord, the entire song, every song. I get the impression he plays bass because when they started the band they needed a bass player so he did it, but he really doesn't give a shit about it. Which is totally fine, he's obviously more concerned with writing songs and he kicks ass at that. They really don't need a technical bassist.

They have a rhythm guitarist touring with them, I don't know if he played on the album or if Matt just recorded both parts in the studio but I really doubt it was AJ.

 

AJ didn't even write bass parts for any of their albums. He was open that Cody wrote and recorded them because he's sloppy compared to Cody.

 

A couple more listens and I'm in love with this album. As you'd expect with AJ there are lines that just kill you. Seeing them play Color last night was an emotional experience - I'm standing there with my arms around my wife, hearing AJ sing "I really believe in us/I can't believe we made it this far" and it's like the perfect sentence to encapsulate our marriage.

I also think they're going to be even better on the next album - I think this one was them getting back into the swing of being a band, putting out a release so they could tour, and when they're really locked in the next one is going to be even better.

 

Pretty sure he said something exactly to this effect on the podcast with the guy from Silverstein recently

 

A fun thought is that I think there’s good odds we’ll be getting another album as early as next spring. They had to sit on this one for half a year waiting for it to be released. The reaction and being back on the road is going to inspire them a ton and they’ll be dying to create again which is good news for us

 

Yeah I listened to that too, basically said bass is not something he cares about and more of just a requirement to fill out the sound.



After first listen the album is good but I need more time to figure out where it stands with the other albums. Nothing hits me as hard as "Catholic Girls" or "Work In Progress" did. Never through I'd get another TDS album so I'm stoked regardless.

 

I've been a more casual fan of this band for a while... I was excited for the new album, enjoyed the singles, and was really excited for all of you who had been so affected by the band's past work to have a new album. But my god, this album has hit me a LOT more than I expected. I think this may be the moment I become a huge fan myself... I now am realizing more how this band has a certain "feel" to their music that is pretty distinctive/unique from other bands in this scene, and I'm falling in love with it.

 

It's funny, I've had moments like this with a few bands, where I've listened for a while but wasn't a diehard fan... And then either a new album/song, or just deeper listening, makes a "switch" flip in my head and I suddenly get it. I'm sure a lot of you have had moments like that with bands. That just happened to me listening to this album I think.

 

"How I speak to god/Is how I speak to you" is such a great couplet. I think we all have that person in our lives who may not be perfect, but is perfect to us... and they mean so much to us that it at times feels like we "worship" them, and wouldn't know what to do without that person. That's at least how I interpreted that line.

 

Or that it’s sacred and one way perhaps?

 

That's how I interpret it. Elevating someone in your head and having these one-sided conversations with them.

 

Heh, I can also relate to that. Ironically the situation I was describing for myself ended up being just that... I “worshipped” this person and put them on a pedestal, and they took advantage of that and made me feel like I was never good enough. And I just recently found the strength to remove myself from the situation entirely and walk away.

Anyway, didn’t mean to get so personal... this album is making me feel things.

 

I interpreted it in an intimate and confessional way. Everything he says to her is of a depth and honesty that he doesn’t share with others.

 

do i regret talking shit on these guys, mostly because of cody, after listening to this record? yes i do

 

Well, I ended up ordering the vinyl of this. The album just gets better with every listen. Today I ran 4 miles during the sunset in the canyon by my place while listening to the album. What an experience. So many emotions ran through me while pounding out the miles. I honestly haven't felt this way about a TDS album since Reach For The Sun. Don't get me wrong, War Paint is great, but I don't have a connection with it like I do with RFTS. The lyrics in RFTS and S/T are incredibly relatable to me. I love it.

 

This is proving to be a grower for me. I listened on a walk today and liked it more than my first few listens, but it’s still not hitting me as hard as I anticipated. I do think it’ll get there, but right now it’s not close to RFTS or Golden Record.

 

The guitarist playing with them on tour is Alex from Mayday Parade.

 

I'm an idiot then, I knew I recognized him from somewhere the other night, I told him great set and all. Not a big mayday fan but they've got some staples!

 

This is for sure my second favourite TDS album, maybe even first depending how it holds up with more time/listens

 

"This Is Life" is included in Apple Music's Best of the Week playlist! It's towards the bottom, but still really cool imo

 

Oh yeah this is starting off real good