Review: The Story So Far- The Story So Far

Get out your cargo shorts, flannels, and order some pizza because The Story So Far has a new album that will knock your pizza sauce stained t-shirt off.

In January 2015 a video was posted “The Story So Far Album Teaser #1" was uploaded on the band's official YouTube channel. The video shows clips of the band members with friends goofing around and having fun. At the end of the video a text-roll appears, saying "We are writing a new record stay tuned...” On February 23, 2015 the band uploaded another video titled “The Story So Far Album Teaser #2” this video features behind the scenes clips, and footage of the boys working on the new album. The text-roll that appeared at the end of this video was "LP 3 Coming Your Way Watch Out World Here We Are Not Afraid Of The Light." On February 26 the band Tweeted saying the album was finished. In April they released a few singles; on May 11 the band posted a stream of the entire album to their website and the album is set to be released on May 19.

The  self-titled album begins with the track “Smile” a heavy opener and a testament to conformity with lyrics like “Tell me how you fit in and where do you begin? Do you toast when they toast? Do you sin when they sin? ” Up next is “Heavy Gloom”, a track in which frontman Parker Cannon hopes that his ex feels lonely without him and reflects on her actions towards him. “Phantom” – an instant The Story So Far classic- features mellow guitar melodies and Cannon’s soft crooning. The final track, “Stalemate” is a surprisingly milder track and, though not as heavy as the opening track, is a good, strong  finale to the album.

This album is not too different from the albums before; it could even be considered as “Under Soil and Dirt” part two. The album themes remain the same as the ones before: each track revolves around a bad ex-girlfriend and Cannon executes his lament well with his vocal gymnastics. The album was hyped up a lot to be somewhat anti-climactic, as the sound of the album and the lyrics were familiar to fans.  However, the album is still a good listen, and The Story So Far did a great job with their new lyrical material.  New and old The Story So Far fans will appreciate this album and it will surely be one of the favorite pop-punk albums of the summer.  (Konstantina Buhalis)

Favorite Tracks: Phantom, Nerve, Smile, and Heavy Gloom

7/10

For Fans Of:  Knuckle Puck, Man Overboard, The Wonder Years