If you've ever been to a stop on the Vans Warped Tour or flipped through the pages of Alternative Press magazine, it's likely you've heard of Mayday Parade.
With two albums and two EPs already under its belt, the alternative band released its self-titled third album on Oct. 4.
Formed in 2006 in Tallahassee, Fl., the band consists of Derek Sanders on lead vocals, keyboard and acoustic guitar, Alex Garcia on lead guitar, Jeremy Lenzo on bass guitar and vocals, Jake Bundrick on drums and vocals and Brooks Betts on rhythm guitar.
The first track, "Oh Well, Oh Well," begins somewhat slowly with a melancholy tune but quickly transforms into a rowdy, explosive drum-and-guitar number with a kiss-off message, changing lyrics from "Oh well, oh well / I still hope for the best" to "Oh well, oh well / Guess I'll see you in Hell."
The album continues with this motto, transitioning from remorseful lyrics about lost loves to angst-ridden, self-empowering lyrics on songs like "Priceless" and "A Shot Across the Bow."
The album also serves as an honest look at the band's personal problems. "Call Me Hopeless, but Not Romantic," "Everything's an Illusion" and "I'd Rather Make Mistakes Than Nothing at All" are all brutally autobiographical with lyrics showing the difficulties of feeling lonely, turning to alcohol for support and feeling lost in the world.
This being Mayday Parade's third album, the songs dig a little bit deeper into the personal lives of the band members, most notably Sanders. Previous albums have dealt with heavy topics such as losing a loved one to a terrible illness in "Terrible Things" on the band's "Valdosta" EP. It's refreshing to see a band that is able to continually talk about its members' personal lives and is able to offer its experience and advice to others going through bumpy patches in their lives.
Along with the autobiographical songs and the kiss-off numbers, there are the typical songs about yearning for old flames. The rest of the songs on "Mayday Parade" — "No Heroes Allowed," "When You See My Friends," "You're Dead Wrong," "Stay," "Without the Bitter, the Sweet Isn't as Sweet" and "Happy Endings Are Stories That Haven't Ended Yet" — serve to fill these gaps.
The album is wonderfully penned, with striking lyrics and verses that seem to haunt those who listen to it, and it echoes the band's previous albums.
Mayday Parade is currently headlining The Noise Tour, which also features We Are the In Crowd and You Me at Six. The band will be playing in Atlanta, Ga. on Nov. 16 at the Masquerade.