Last Young Renegade: All Time Low Album Review

All Time Low doesn’t disappoint with ten songs of pure pop punk, singing about heartbreak and rebellion in the seventh studio album, Last Young Renegade that was released on June 2, 2017. Beginning the album with Last Young Renegade sets the stage for the rest of the songs to shine through. Using the narrative of the Last Young Renegade has allowed one song to flow easily to the next and help connect the themes of the songs to each other. We get a clear image of a young renegade starting young and going through life’s trials and tribulations. Drummer Rian Dawson and bassist Zach Merrick provide a strong structure that compliment Alex Gaskarth’s strong vocals and lead guitarist Jack Barakat ties it all together with melodic and memorable guitar riffs.

Songs like Dirty Laundry and Nightmares slow down what usually is the very up-tempo pop punk that they’re known for. Ground Control features the sisters Tegan and Sara, an indie pop duo, and demonstrates their versatility and talent to work with artists outside of their genre to break boundaries and create something that can appeal to a wider audience. Last Young Renegade is quite different from their other albums because they’ve incorporated more mellow, electronic sounding beats. It’s clear that they’re trying something new, with darker sounds and having songs like Good Times feel like ballads (check out their official lyric video below!).

However, Nice2KnoU takes it back to their classic sound with chunky, distorted guitar riffs paired with strong, fast drumbeats and layered back up vocals. They do a nice job of staying with the ever-changing music trends and making sure that they remain relevant in the world of pop punk and in the world of music in general.

While this album doesn’t consist of the typical victorious and call to arms songs that make up an All Time Low are known for, Afterglow closes the ten-song album perfectly, leaving an uplifting feel for all the young renegades out there. Paired with their tour that starts on June 30th, there’s no doubt that this album won’t be a big hit.

Check out their tour dates below, and be sure to snag some tickets for a city near you!

Discover: Flor

It’s been a long time coming but Flor has finally released their debut album.

come out. you’re hiding features 10 tracks including previously released singles, as well as new songs. The album also contains remastered songs to bring a new feel. Flor mixes indie rock feels with synth pop to create addictive and catchy tunes. The album has an electronic tune but the sounds of guitars and drums aren’t lost in the music. Especially the drums as they are highlighted in almost every song.

The album starts off with guarded which just sounds dreamy. It includes innocent and pure lyrics with a contrasting beat, especially in the chorus. You are hit with beating percussion, yet somehow, it blends in perfectly amongst the soft vocals. The songs all seem to follow a pattern of having more percussion focused in the chorus or bridge.

Hold On was the band's first single leading to the album release. It maintained their sound and gave fans a tease into what the album was going to be. It follows their trend of having innocent lyrics matched with strong percussion. This is personally my favorite song because of the bridge. The vocals go softer and more synth is brought in.

Ending the album is their song overbehind, which has it's own music video full of rhythmic drums progressions, pleasing scenery, and hand-drawn animations as you follow Zach Grace into different rooms. Check out the video below!

Overall, their debut album really captures what the band is right now. I can tell that they’re getting their distinct sound and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for these boys.