Mayday Parade "Sweet" Review

Mayday Parade: “Sweet” Review 

Mayday Parade is back with a new 3 part album. The first part titled “Sweet" is set to release on April 18th. I have been a fan of the band over the years but I had fallen off after highschool. With that being said, the song “Miserable at Best” has always stuck around in my rotation. We were given the opportunity to listen to the new release, and “Sweet” does not disappoint!

The album starts off with a song titled “By the Way,” which is a great track, introducing a new modern and mature version of Mayday Parade that we haven't seen before. Lyrically, the band has grown with the fans. They offer an insight to what most 30-40 year olds are going through at this time. We graduated from the teenage angst to the “Fuck it” attitude, centering around getting through our traumas and showing how we have succeeded in our endeavours. The sound has evolved and elevated in some aspects. Showing how the members have been able to venture out, and bring new light and ideas to the melodies. This piece feels far more inclusive than older albums.

“Sweet” as a whole is an ambitious project for the band; especially the thematics of a 3 part album. The band has never been known for incorporating such themes and thought out movements to their collections. A trilogy is a bold move for the beloved pop-punk band. With that being said, you can hear the influences of 90’s pop-punk throughout. The bass lines from Jeremy Lenzo seem heavily influenced by bands such as Blink 182 and Sum 41. Whereas, the guitar lines from Alex Garcia and Brooks Betts are reminiscent of bands like Bad Religion and Jimmy Eat World. Derek Sanders’ vocals have certainly matured and seem to be more crisp and airy than previous albums. This shows that with 20 years in the band, he continues to practice his craft.

The tonality of the album fits in very nicely with the modern pop-punk movement of bands like “Just Happy to Be Here” and “Belmont”. It brings a slightly more electronic digital driven sound to an older style. This will help the younger pop-punk fans resonate with the album and appreciate the bands’ growth but like with all ambitious projects, older fans may still gravitate towards the old sound. For me, the album is a beautiful mix of what makes Mayday Parade special and the excitement of finding that next new band, you get excited to show your friends. Pop-punk fans will without a doubt be showing off this album.

For those who love to deep dive into the business side of music, this album, with the right marketing strategy, will see monumental success; especially with the current release date of part one coordinating with the new Warped Tour launch. As well as the bands “Three Cheers to 20 Years” tour kicking off in April and will give pop-punk fans who are not going to warped tour something fun and nostalgic to look forward to. This would be a great time for the band to highlight a few tracks off of this new release. In regards to individual tracks on this album to follow, you will want to look at Track 3, “Who’s Laughing Now”. This one is a big standout on the album with a punchy riff from the start and a catchy chorus. It will certainly draw in genre crossing fans. Overall, it is the most fun track on the album. Secondly, the 7th track on the album, “Towards You”, highlights the aspect of Mayday Parade that we fell in love with in 2006. This song, though slower, is powerful and beautifully written. This one will surely become the biggest hit off the first part of this 3 part series and rightfully so.

In conclusion, “Sweet” is a great step for Mayday Parade to kick off a new chapter in their career. This album will build a lasting bond with old fans as well as new ones. This chapter definitely solidifies them as one of the founding fathers of the 2000’s Pop-Punk movement. I can't wait to see what parts two and three have to offer, and what twists await after the “Sweet” side of Mayday Parade. This album left me wanting more and got me so excited to see the band perform live this year. They sound fantastic, well rehearsed, and in sync. If you are a music connoisseur, this album is definitely not one to miss.