“I won’t fade away / Be forgotten or just cast away / This life is mine to live”
When you think of All Time Low, what comes to mind? Pop punk? Bras? Fans that won’t stop requesting “Sticks, Stones, And Techno”? If you’re reading this review, probably all three. No matter what you think, the fans always pop up at some point–and their incredible, dedicated, sometimes crazy love, has been returned in full force. Future Hearts is an album for the fans, pure and simple–the ultimate declaration of appreciation for listeners new and old.
You can already see the intro “Satellite” opening a live show as the lights go down and the crowd starts to scream–it has that building sense of anticipation and electricity, and a chorus of “we were just kids singing” which will have the walls shaking. And with a “2, 3, 4!” and a breakneck beat we’re launched head first into “Kicking & Screaming”, hammered home by a solo that gives kickass a whole new meaning. The lyric “So long and thanks for all the make-believe memories” takes one last glance at the past in the rearview mirror while the band races ahead on the road to creating a whole new classic.
Lending their talents to make that happen are pop punk heavyweights Mark Hoppus and Joel Madden–a surefire delight for fans everywhere. “Tidal Waves”, which features Hoppus, is an intense ballad that focuses on the harmonies between the two vocalists, reaching out with an echoing cry to tug at your heartstrings. On the other end of the spectrum, “Bail Me Out” featuring Madden is definitely going to make it onto all of your road trip mixtapes this summer, complete with floating “oohs” and sunny riffs to take you high up into that perfect cloudless sky.
It wouldn’t be All Time Low without an acoustic number, and while “Missing You” isn’t quite as tear-inducing as “Therapy”, its uptempo beat is a smile hiding the sadness in the lyrics. But before you surrender to that vaguely hollow feeling it gives you in your chest, take note of the strong message of hope in every note. Once again they’re proving to be the cool older brothers you always wish you had—the class clowns—but there for you when you really need it. This sentiment is echoed throughout such tracks as current single “Kids In The Dark” and closer “Old Scars / Future Hearts”, where you can hear the overall theme shining bright–this one’s for you.
All Time Low had one clear goal in mind with Future Hearts–to make music they love for the people they love. Watching them grow as a band has been an incredible experience, setting the bar higher and higher with every release–and with this record they’ve really outdone themselves, creating a legacy destined to speak from their hearts to all the future hearts out there.
Buy it, stream it, or skip it: Support the scene. Buy it now.
