The Story So Far - The Story So Far

For a band that is at the fore-front of "pop-punk", The Story So Far has done a lot more growing up than most of the other bands in the scene. They have continually matured and tightened up their sound with every release, and their latest self-titled album is no exception. While a portion of the young boys they were with their first album still remain, the band has begun moving into heavier and darker sounds as well as shifting away from the high school nature of their lyrics and more into the 20-somethings era the band members have entered.

Some of the songs sound fairly similar to records they have put out in the past ("Mock", "Scowl", "Stalemate"), but even then, these songs contain a new heaviness that was not at the forefront of their music. Other songs such as the opener "Smile", "Heavy Gloom", lead-single "Nerve", and "Distaste" are among the grittier songs on this record. It's not so much as there has been a dramatic change in their sound; it's the fact that they have more weight to them, and there's a bit more variety in the way that they approach each song. They utilize different ways of beginning songs and instrumentation. A notable example is the drum lead "How You Are", which includes guitar but is very much more influenced by the way in which the drum patterns (which also incorporate some new ideas the band hasn't really used before) vary. Another example of variation is the slow tune "Phantom", showing the influence their latest acoustic Songs Of - EP and their 2013 single "Clairvoyant". The haunting "it's hard to attract you" over the non-overdriven guitars and the lack of drums creates a very vulnerable sound that is rare for TSSF. It's easily one of the best and most powerful songs on the record, creating some great contrast and really demanding the listener's attention. "Heavy Gloom" is another song that attracts attention to the difference in sound and mood. It's got some of the aspects of TSSF's familiar sound, but it also feels different, in a way that's hard to explain. Especially the bass that is present in the introduction, that is something that is not common in their previous work.

The changes within this band are not obvious; they're deeper than the surface, they take time to pick up on and process. With the first few listens, this album feels considerably like their previous records. But after the initial listens, the sound starts to seem different, the tone has changed, the lyrics are not the same old drama. Sure, Parker still sings about girls and being cheated on and being away from home, but he has approached it differently. He doesn't talk about it like a 17 year old boy who is discovering love and girls and the trouble that follows. He talks about it like a 22 year old man who is trying to figure out what love is and who the right girl is for him and where home is and who he is. He has evolved his lyrics just as he has matured as a person. That is what sets this record apart from the previous records. That is what reveals the potential of this band.

Rating: 4/5
Recommended: "Smile", "Heavy Gloom", "Nerve", "Phantom"