1.) Piece Of Your Heart

“Piece Of Your Heart” is the first single that MP dropped in anticipation for this album, and I gotta say that I love it. As I mentioned before, I wasn’t the hugest fan of their last two albums, but this song actually has me looking forward to their new album. It feels reminiscent of early Mayday, which as you’ll be able to tell soon, is my favorite era of MP (thus far). The lyricism is similar to their “A Lesson in Romantics” days, something I didn’t know I wanted to hear again. The instrumentation has been cleaned up since their last album (which IMO was a failed attempt at trying to “get back to the roots” of pop punk) and from what I’ve heard of the new album, it sounds like it will flow smoothly.

2.) I Swear This Time I Mean It

If there’s one thing that MP is really good at, it’s sappy ballads. This song, from their sophomore album “Anywhere But Here,” features an acoustic guitar paired with soft vocals from lead singer Derek Sanders. The tempo is pretty slow, almost as if Sanders is singing a lullaby. The song slowly builds, the music crescendoing from the slow tempo to fit smoothly with his gentle voice. Tbh, I could totally listen to this on repeat until I fall asleep. His voice is so soothing.

3.) Kids In Love

“Kids In Love” is another track from their sophomore album, and it’s also the first song I ever heard by the band; I was in 7th grade and thought that I was so in love with the guy I dated that year *cringe*. For as cringey as that is, it felt so applicable at the time – “We were just kids in love / the summer was full of mistakes we wouldn’t learn from.” Despite the memories of my first puppy love, this song feels timeless to me. The instrumentation stays interesting during the entirety of the song, and the lyricism doesn’t feel like it was directed at 13 year olds.

4.) When I Get Home You’re So Dead

This song hails off of their first and most celebrated album, “A Lesson In Romantics.” At the time, Derek Sanders was a co-vocalist with Jason Lancaster, who ended up leaving the band and joining Go Radio (before they broke up and he went solo). This break up song is so 2007 – not sappy and sad, but savage AF. The lyrics basically allude to the fact that the girl is a cheating whore and she won’t ever change. One thing I love about the lyrics is that it doesn’t sound cheesy AF, like some songs I’ve heard calling out ex-girlfriends for being whores. Instrumentally, the guitars sound angry, which helps the direction of this song channel the angsty side of pop punk.

5.) Three Cheers for Five Years

Eeeeeek, this song is so sad. This song was written by drummer Jake Bundrick, who found out that his girlfriend of five years cheated on him (and she told him on their anniversary, nonetheless). This piano ballad features a back-and-forth vocal trade off between Sanders and Lancaster, with vocals sometimes overlapping each other, but in my opinion showcasing the conflicting thoughts of a break up and how to deal with the news of your S/O cheating on you. I love that MP are able to tell stories of break ups in completely polar-opposite ways (see choice 4). The twinkling piano, the switching vocals, the overlapping of thoughts – they all culminate into a song that brings out emotion I didn’t even know I had.

6.) Still Breathing

“Still Breathing” starts off with a somber-sounding guitar, the chord blending seamlessly with Sanders’ vocals. Drums subtly come in throughout the verse and eventually build up into the chorus, which isn’t anything mind-blowing, but isn’t overly simple and boring either. I don’t really know what draws me to this song, but I enjoy it nonetheless.

7.) Just Say You’re Not Into It

Let me tell ya, this EP was *~amazing~*. This song follows the hearts of a conflicted relationship, where the two are fighting, however they want to forget about it for the night and “bring their hearts back home.” I love the way the song starts off, with the lyrics “In a show of hands / who has ever said these words before? / And in a show of hearts on the floor / who has ever meant them more?” I thought that line was just cleverly crafted and didn’t even need to be explained for it to be understood. That right there my friends, is good lyricism.

8.) I’d Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About

Long live the days of long song titles – can we bring that back please? I heard some rumors that “Sunnyland” will have more long titles – yay! Anyway, back to this song. The main reason I love this song so much is because you can hear so much emotion in both of the vocalists voices, but especially Lancaster’s when he jumps into the chorus. I honestly don’t really know what this song is about, who it’s about, what’s going on, but it makes me feel. It’s the weirdest thing – but hey, that’s what music does to ya. Also, with the guitar solos and the way that the song builds, the song flows together so smoothly and makes me want to throw down.

9.) Terrible Things

Okay sorry, we’re going to get sad again. But this song is just. so. beautiful. The narrator, a father, is telling the story of the father and mother – when they first met, when he proposed, and when she told him she’s sick. I mean, shit. Paired with the somber piano, this song is so sad and evokes so many emotions. The father is telling the son “So don’t fall in love / there’s just too much to lose.” and “Now son / I’m only telling you this / because life can do terrible things.” This song is basically a Nicholas Sparks book summed up in four minutes.

10.) One Of Them Will Destroy The Other

This song is one of the songs I actually like from their 2015 album, “Black Lines.” I love how raw this song sounds, in terms of instrumentals and in vocals. Sanders experiments with some more screaming, a change that really shook up their discography since Lancaster left the band. Some fans were disappointed, citing that MP is a band they go to for more sappy, heartfelt songs, not heavier music. However, I thought this was one track that actually did a good job of capturing that raw, stripped down sound that they were looking to do for the album. I don’t think it completely worked out for them – I saw them live shortly after this album was released and they played 3 songs out of a 20 song show from this album. That being said, the songs they did play were the good ones, so I wasn’t too disappointed.

So there you have it! I’m really excited to hear what their album will sound like, and of course, I will see them live at Warped this summer.

Check out my blog where I write more music related content, and follow my music Twitter to hear constant updates on everything music related!

The post Jen’s Top Ten’s: My Favorite Mayday Parade Songs appeared first on KRUI Radio.

This collection of songs features songs that are exclusively acoustic, simply because there were way too many good acoustic versions of songs to narrow it down to just ten (those songs will serve as honorable mentions in my Spotify playlist linked below!). So without further ado, here are my top ten picks for best acoustic songs.

1.) Love Your Friends, Die Laughing by Man Overboard

This song has nostalgia written all over it. It has that perfect “campfire song” vibe to it, which makes it such an enjoyable and uplifting song. The lyrics talk about being in the moment.

“I left my heart with my phone in my center console / I left my feelings with my wallet and my keys.”

2.) Cherry by Moose Blood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGqRIdWfdE8

While “Cherry” uses an electric guitar as opposed to an acoustic, it still has a soft, acoustic feel to it. This is one of Moose Blood’s slowest, remorseful sounding tunes. The song is about lead singer Eddy Brewerton wrote this song about his wife and step-daughter, with the lyrics discussing his love of being a father and coping with the fact that he isn’t her real father.

“She’s not mine and she never will be / I’m reminded every day / She’s not mine and it fucking kills me / She won’t look at me that way.”

3.) I Don’t Mind by Defeater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1IdKeZU8hs

This classic love song is beautiful next to the lone acoustic guitar. It’s the perfect love song as the lyrics reminisce on their time together. It’s sappy and uplifting all at the same time.

“And I don’t mind / If we take our time / No, I don’t mind.”

4.) Timmy Bowers by Modern Baseball

This one is pretty much guaranteed to bring the waterworks. While the song itself hovers around two minutes and the lyrics pretty much repeat the same phrase, the lead singer’s haunting voice mixed with the melancholy melody brings up emotions that I never knew lived inside me.

“Wait a minute / cause I’ve been living more like a piece of shit without you / and I’ve been spending all your past killings / trying to drink my way out of this groove.”

5.) Clairvoyant by The Story So Far

This gut-wrenching tune is a surprising release from a heavily aggressive pop punk band in the scene today. Parker Cannon’s usually outside-voice is lowered and showcases not only his hidden voice but also their lyrical talent. The song discusses the downfall of a relationship, a topic that hits home for a lot of heartbroken lovers.

“Don’t paint me black / when I used to be golden.”

6.) Leave You In The Dark by State Champs

I can’t imagine what this song would be like if it had been crafted to be plugged in and amplified. State Champs are excellent at sending messages in their fast paced pop punk, however this slow jam fits perfectly with the mellow lyrics. The lyrics follow a couple that aims to be different despite their struggles.

“And I know I don’t say it / but I love you too / and it’s starting to make sense.”

7.) Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day

Of course I had to include this classic off of Green Day’s 1997 album “Nimrod”. As an adolescent, this song really resonated with me as I’m sure it has with almost everybody else that’s heard this classic tune. It’s nostalgic, heart-wrenching, and bittersweet all at the same time.

“It’s something unpredictable / but in the end is right / I hope you had the time of your life.”

8.) If It Means A Lot to You by A Day To Remember

Emotions run rampant through this slower melody from post-hardcore band A Day To Remember. The lyrics follow a couple that is separated because of the man going on tour with the band. Guest vocalist Sierra Kay stars as the female voice in the second verse and throughout the third as the two vocalists sing back and forth with each other. While it’s unsure how things turn out, we’re rooting for the couple to last.

“If you can wait till I get home / then I swear to you that we can make this last.”

9.) You by The Pretty Reckless

Any Gossip Girl fans here? Yup, that’s Little J from the CW’s hit show. This slow track is accompanied by soft drumming and violins in the background. Paired with Taylor Momsen’s delightfully soft voice, a somber feeling rises from the lyrics as she sings about loving a person that doesn’t love her back.

“You don’t want me, no / You don’t need me / Like I want you, oh / Like I need you.”

10.) Riding In Your Car by Mat Kerekes

Mat Kerekes, the lead singer of the band Citizen, released this solo album “Luna and the Wild Blue Everything” in 2016 and it is SO. UNDERRATED. While all of these songs on this album are acoustic, this one sticks out to me the most. Mat sings about riding in somebody’s car as they listen to their favorite music, which coincides with his favorite songs as well. He doesn’t want the day to end, and all he wants is to ride around with this person and listen to their favorite songs.

“I’m riding in your car / and it seems that your radio plays all of my favorite songs today / and I wish you would sing along.”

To listen to my playlist along with the honorable mentions, check out my Spotify playlist below!

The post Jen’s Top Tens: My Favorite Acoustic Songs of All Time appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Some other albums from Golden Bloom are Fan the Flames (2009), March to the Drums (2011), and No Day Like Today (2013).

The album starts off with “Looking up to You,” a singer-songwriter staple track. The acoustic guitar and soft maraca in the background make for a fantastic kick-off.  “Circles Round My Mind” keeps the ball rolling by adding some great percussion to the already lush melodies from the first track. The prominent drums continue on “Great Unknown.” It starts off with sweeter vocals, then picks up with some unpredictable chord progressions.

The cleverly titled, “Books You Never Read,” is a slow paced, easy listening track with lyrics that speak to you on another level. “Listen to yourself as you begin to say, ‘tell me everything is gonna be okay'” is one of the lines from the song that really stuck with me after I listened to it. I feel like most of the tracks on this album have a much deeper meaning than they may seem. Golden Bloom picks up the pace again with “Fall Out of Line,” yet again talking about the sucky things of life in a rhythmic, yet direct way. “Racing thoughts just can’t keep up when the walls start caving in” was another beautiful lyric that I could not get out of my head after I heard it on this track.

Full of uplifting and memorable arrangements “Searching for Sunlight” is one of the best songs on the whole album. It is one of those songs that you could listen to on repeat for days. “Come Back Home” was one of my least favorite songs, I did not like the keyboard they added at the beginning and it took too long to get into. Ending the album on a softer more gentle note, “Want Love” pulled me in with more meaningful lyrics about life’s hard truths. After I heard the line, “Weigh your head like a weight upon my shoulder” I replayed it over and over because it was just so relatable.

I recommend this album to everyone–it is just one those albums that are hard not to enjoy even if you do not particularly like this genre of music. It is feel-good, downright amazing music that you can listen to any time of the day, in any mood. If you are sad and want to sulk there are songs on this album that will make you ponder your thoughts for hours. But if you want a quick pick me up, or are having a grand ole time there are tracks on there that will make you want to dance around wherever you’re at. I give this album a 9/10, make sure you give it a listen!

The post Album Review: “Searching for Sunlight” by Golden Bloom appeared first on KRUI Radio.