The Wonder Years know something that a lot of bands seem to miss out on.
The record lasts forever. Above anything else a band does in its career, the albums it releases are what will be left behind to define its legacy.
With the release of their third full-length, "Suburbia I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing," it's obvious The Wonder Years know the record lasts forever. And they made it count.
Comprised of vocalist Daniel "Soupy" Campbell, bassist Joshua Martin, guitarists Matthew Brasch and Casey Cavaliere, drummer Michael Kennedy and guitarist/keyboardist Nicholas Steinborn, the band's follow-up to the adored "The Upsides" is a joint release on Hopeless and No Sleep Records due out on June 14.
"Suburbia I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing" is as timeless as records come. Its 13 tracks are undoubtedly the Philadelphia-based group's best musicianship, matched pound-for-pound by a great lyrical output from Campbell.
Influenced by Allen Ginsberg's "America" (1956), the concept of "Suburbia" is outlined by the interlude-interlude-closer trio of songs that make up the album's title. "Suburbia," "I've Given You All" and "And Now I'm Nothing" provide the framework for the record, with the other 10 songs falling into place chronologically according to when Campbell wrote them throughout 2010.
Opener "Came Out Swinging" starts the record off with an electric 30-second introduction that builds upon itself, similar to "You Know How I Do" from Taking Back Sunday's "Tell All Your Friends." First a steady guitar riff overrides some feedback, then a 50-year-old clip of Ginsberg reading "My mind is made up, there's going to be trouble," from "America" comes in before Kennedy bursts in with a drum fill.
It all stops for a split-second before the whole band gets into gear and Campbell belts out, "Moved all my shit into my parent's basement / And out of our old apartment / I know things changed but I'm not sure when / I guess you'd call this a regression / I left a "real" job and a girlfriend / I convinced myself that I'm brave enough for all of this / I spent this whole year in airports and the floor feels like home."
Before the first interlude, listeners get two more blistering tracks with "Woke Up Older" and "Local Man Ruins Everything." The former is the more impressive number, with the catchiest chorus on the record. References to "The Upsides" start to pop up as well, and although "Suburbia" can be enjoyed by a first-time listener, long-time fans will be more pleased with the album.
"Suburbia" and "I've Given You All" serve as the "setting" for the record, and the first interlude is fittingly a song about the band's hometown. The first two interludes connect to "And Now I'm Nothing" in several ways. These three tracks are the only ones on the album written in 6/8 time and the finale takes some lyrics from the songs that precede it.
"My Life As A Pigeon" and "Summers in PA" are two essential cuts from the record, with the latter being most noteworthy for its bridge, featuring guest vocals from Dan O'Connor and Alan Day of Four Year Strong.
The intensity seems to be taken down a notch with the anti-blind religion, half-tempo jammer "I Won't Say The Lord's Prayer," but the scathing lyrical content might actually make the track the most intense one on the album.
"Coffee Eyes" and "Don't Let Me Cave In" sandwich the second interlude, two equally impressive numbers that show off The Wonder Years' versatility a bit. Martin's bass and Kennedy's drums are highlighted in the build-up of "Coffee Eyes," while the guitars take more of the focus in "Don't Let Me Cave In."
The most important characteristic of the new sound on "Suburbia" is the nearly perfect production. Campbell's vocals have almost no editing on them, making for a rawer sound comparable to his voice at live shows. That raw sound complements musicianship that is simultaneously more blunt and intricate than we have grown accustomed to with the band.
Recording with Steve Evetts was the most important part of the making of this album, as Evetts made all the right calls behind the boards. It's the production of "Suburbia" that gives it the boost up in lasting value so many albums in the genre lack these days.
Closer "And Now I'm Nothing" is the best song The Wonder Years have written. From several instantly accessible lines to the epic minute-and-48-second outro, this song is everything The Wonder Years know how to do, executed as best as they possibly can. It's almost paralleled by the emotional "Hoodie Weather," which features brilliant one-liners like, "Growing up means watching my heroes turn human in front of me."
When a teenager picks up a 10-year-old copy of "Suburbia I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing" in a decade (or more likely just wishes for it before technology swoops it into his iPod UberNano), it might be "that" record for him. "That" record, the one that makes you fall in love with an entire genre. The one that makes a kid pick up a guitar or a microphone.
No one knows what the pop punk scene will be like in a decade, but I can say one thing with confidence - "Suburbia I've Given You All And Now I'm Nothing," The Wonder Years' best record to date, will still matter then.
