Summer 2015: A Summation in Albums

   Summer is always when I discover my new favorite artist (ex: Lights circa 2013) or album (Danger Days circa 2012). Maybe it's with the excessive free time I get but I'm always hooked on someone new by the end of the season and this year was no exception with a pretty wide array of albums.

♥American Candy (The Maine)
key song: "Diet Soda Society"
I'd heard a couple songs off this one (meaning "English Girls") before the summer started but hadn't really listened to it in full or on complete repeat. I've never been a giant The Maine fan (I'd only seen them at Warped 2014 and maybe knew a couple songs) so the entire album wasn't a huge priority but I'm so so so happy I actually got around to it. Though they lack in lyrical development, the songs are incredibly catchy and easy to be used as background music while writing (something I can just kind of sing along to without paying much attention). The vocals are also extremely well done (I find it interesting the album is called American Candy when there's kind of a British twang to everything). 

♥How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (Florence + The Machine)
key song: "Hiding"
I took way too long to get around to listening to this one. Florence is one of my favorite singers but when the album came out, I skimmed through it without really going through everything as it deserves. Her vocal progression is pretty much the same, if not calmer, but the songs are a lot darker. A common theme of HBHBHB is danger I'd noticed and I appreciate how her voice puts that across- she sounds a lot more intense and almost frightening at points. All together, yet another good Florence + The Machine album (can you ever go wrong with her?)

♥Mayday Parade (self titled album)
key song: "No Heroes Allowed"
This is such emo trash oh god. Overall, I don't think any band (other My Chemical Romance) can hold a candle to the amount of emo in these songs- is there any type of enjoyable, feel good, Mayday Parade song? Pretty good track list though- about everything is catchy once you get past the incredibly dark pieces, it's fun to kind of zone out and sing to (there's a common theme here I think).

♥Cavalier Youth (You Me At Six)
key Song: "Room To Breathe"
Though I considered You Me At Six to be my second favorite band in 2012 (I found this out in an ancient artifact called "Ann's 7th Grade Journal"), I'd never actually heard their latest album (which had come out in 2014) and I wasn't sure what to expect. Sinners Never Sleep was already so good it really can't be beat and though Cavalier Youth really can't stand to it, in a way, I could call the album the darker older brother of SNS. The tracks are pretty heavy and though vocals really haven't changed, it's not exactly a bad thing. In truth, Josh isn't the greatest vocalist but he makes up for it in the emotion within his voice. It was the best it could be after Sinners Never Sleep.

♥Throne (Bring Me The Horizon)
key song: "Happy Song"
This can't even count as an EP but the two new songs Bring Me The Horizon released this summer were exceptional. With BMTH, I'm either in love (ex: Sempiternal) or think it's shit (ex: Suicide Season) and as good as "Drown" was, I didn't have much faith in these two new singles but after listening, I can't be more excited for the new album. When hearing this with Sam, we both commented on how damaged Oli's voice is- which oddly enough, is my favorite part. It's rough and scratchy-ness adds texture to the tracks. Though "Throne" sounds incredibly like something you'd hear in an emo hair dye tutorial, I'm surprisingly into it. Also, BabyMetal. You can't go wrong with them. Ever.

♥Rooms of the House (La Dispute)
key song: "Hudsonville, MI 1956"
Never listened to much of La Dispute. I've skimmed through Somewhere At The Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair (typical) but really hadn't given them much of a chance. The thing with La Dispute is that about everything sounds the same (fast paced guitar, scared talking, then a breakdown full of breathing) but I mean, I'm into it. The album is well done and tells a really clear story which is always a bonus for me. As I said early, though the vocals are about always the same, I'm really in love with the strange style.

♥Consider This (Tonight Alive)
key song: "5 Years"
Two words: Jenna McDougall. Extremely strong vocals beyond belief and Tonight Alive before signing to Fearless. Pretty self explanatory. I mean my best friend is practically Jenna so how can I not be absolutely in love with this EP?

♥New Politics (self titled, Vikings, and "West End Kids")
I've been somewhat big on New Politics since around the end of eighth grade- I even saw them live. This summer, I just got listening to their first album along with the newer songs and sneak peek of Vikings. Fun stuff. As absolutely great as Bad Girl in Harlem was, I'm extremely excited for something that sounds marginally different.