A Day to Remember

A Day to Remember: HomesickHomesick (2009)
Victory Records

Reviewer Rating: 3

User Rating:

Contributed by: elliotelliot
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on May 26th 2009I know it's difficult, but let's try to be objective here. A Day to Remember is one of those bands who mixes hardcore with pop-punk in a way that makes music snobs cringe, and gets young kids screaming for more. I would probably fall into the former category, holding my ideals and musical integrity .

I know it's difficult, but let's try to be objective here. A Day to Remember is one of those bands who mixes hardcore with pop-punk in a way that makes music snobs cringe, and gets young kids screaming for more. I would probably fall into the former category, holding my ideals and musical integrity high while rolling my eyes at the next trend. But who am I kidding? I love a sunny chorus just as much as my young sister, and you just might too. It's okay if you don't want to admit it.

A Day to Remember has become enormous because of Homesick, selling out large venues and generating hundreds of thousands of MySpace plays a day, though that can be partially chalked up to their covers of "Since U Been Gone" (Kelly Clarkson) and "Over My Head (Cable Car)" (the Fray). So how did they get so popular? Simply by making an album that appeals to just about everyone.

Homesick begins with the album's first single, "The Downfall of Us All," containing an intro of the band doing an a capella breakdown, which gives way to a thunderous actual breakdown. It's a little gimmicky, but at least they sound like they're having fun.

From there, every song follows nearly the same structure:

Verse with singing, maybe some screaming.
Big catchy chorus with no screaming.
Second verse, usually half-sung, then half-screamed and some guitar chugging.
Big catchy chorus again, no variation from the first.
Bridge or middle section, always a breakdown, at least some chugging.
Big catchy chorus.

There are maybe three songs that stray from this formula, and when they do it's still not very impressive. So we have an album that is committed to hitting the listener in one specific way, over and over, never bucking expectation. But don't walk away from it yet. The undeniable quality of Homesick is its melodic competence. Jeremy McKinnon is a vocalist that can scream like a pro and still sing with the same assured talent, which makes for a slew of songs that stick like glue. "Have Faith in Me" sounds like their tribute to a band that surely influenced them (the guitarist has "BLINK182" tattooed on his knuckles, so take a guess), yet they're able to make you forget that it's a ripoff and instead implant that chorus right into your brain.

As someone who appreciates the hard more than the pop, I have to grudgingly conclude that A Day to Remember is actually at their best when they take the melodic approach. There are too many moments on Homesick where the heaviness and the hardcore feel out of place, especially in the pre-breakdown pit-call of "Mr. Highway's Thinking About the End," where McKinnon orders you to "Disrespect your surroundings." This sounds like dangerous advice, not just when at a show, but also if you're in a children's hospital or your grandma's house. Vincent Bennett of the Acacia Strain shows up in "Welcome to the Family" to bring the vocal mosh, and that he does, but even then the point is lost.

A Day to Remember will continue their success, and rightfully so. Ultimately, musical creativity and underground cred mean nothing, dwarfed in the larger picture by a band's drive to craft music that people like. These guys have struck gold, and when you strike gold, you have to keep mining until it's bare. Keep those hardhats on, boys. You'll need them.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

MickiliIliff (November 27, 2009)

Im in love With This Band Jerks
(:

MickiliIliff (November 27, 2009)

Im in love With This Band Jerks
(:

hasignedon (November 26, 2009)

fucking awesome.

beerpong (July 15, 2009)

what, you guys dont like this?

salvation (May 30, 2009)

I think this pop punk/hardcore crap is the new rock n roll/hardcore thing that was really big a few years ago. This shit is so bad.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (May 28, 2009)

Guess I'm going to be the first one to say it:

The DUdudududududDU DU.. DU dududu DU DU song is catchy as fuck and fun as hell to listen to.

The rest is beyond horrible, though.

Dante3000 (May 28, 2009)

haha.
I have such varied taste in music. I like everything from "quasi popular underground band" to "other quasi popular underground band". I even like "iconic legendary old rock band". I guess you all can't appreciate music like I do. Too bad it's just, "bad internet meme that makes a silly metaphor about people I don't agree with". Guess I'll just do "silly act that proves how rad or counterculture you are".

-Dante

RAMBUNCTOID (May 28, 2009)

I only heard one song, but I asked my friend never to play it again for the fear that I'd actually start liking it. So f-ing catchy.

johnnycarnage (May 28, 2009)

"haters wanna hate. lovers wanna love. i don't want none of the above. i want to piss on you." - dave chappelle.

"i sold out long before you ever even heard my name." - tool.

my favorite band pushes millions of albums world wide and do it by making smart music.

if it's not your cup of tea, that's cool, but that doesn't make it garbage.

i suppose i'm wasting my breath because opinions are like retarded kids playing in the streets: there's just too many of 'em.

nonetheless, i'll listen to anything from tool to the beatles to a day to remember to bad religion to sage francis and back to cancer bats.

i suppose not everyone can try to find something good in most music like i can, but all of these kids that hate any band with an iota of success are pathetic.

westfield_east (May 28, 2009)

A few standout songs but the "less-listenable" songs all sound exactly the same.

elliot (May 28, 2009)

"I've never heard this band, but I have heard of the Blink tattoo before. Just think I should point out that it's a fake tattoo that he did with a ball-point pen as a joke for one photograph.

Do a tad bit a research if your going to mention something on a review."

I was told this by a friend who is in a band that toured with A Day to Remember. Maybe I misunderstood, but it sure sounded like that's what he meant.

I'll make sure to consult Wikipedia or some other type of "research" next time. Thank you for your help.

SKAtepunk (May 27, 2009)

Just fuckin' terrible. The only people that like this are 13 year old girls who think this shit is "punk"

LooseKanonYankee (May 27, 2009)

an album that appeals to everyone? I say no fucking thank you

tenwestchaser (May 27, 2009)

Still no Narrows review?

TrueBeliever (May 27, 2009)

I've never heard this band, but I have heard of the Blink tattoo before. Just think I should point out that it's a fake tattoo that he did with a ball-point pen as a joke for one photograph.

Do a tad bit a research if your going to mention something on a review.

inagreendase (May 27, 2009)

I have a friend who's really into this.The reason that's odd is cause we listen to alot of the same things,he's just less active in finding smaller punk bands than I am.

I don't know, this sounds perfectly logical to me considering how much this band is blowing up.

GarrettIrish (May 27, 2009)

I have a friend who's really into this.The reason that's odd is cause we listen to alot of the same things,he's just less active in finding smaller punk bands than I am.

Whiney vocals metalcore beats = trash.

Some kids told me the other day they love this and Four Year Strong,and then were pissed when I didn't think they were punk.

mattramone (May 27, 2009)

I don't want their van to flip so much as careen into a ditch and catch fire. With all their fans inside.

ffwoodycooks (May 27, 2009)

"If this art isn't done by Horsebites, someone should be suing motherfuckers."
its not that similar. also, if Horsebites is gonna be involved in a lawsuit, itll be becaue the Garbage Pail Kids sued.

Dante3000 (May 27, 2009)

If this art isn't done by Horsebites, someone should be suing motherfuckers.
-Dante

hayman (May 27, 2009)

Is this album ANY better than the last one? I've got a mate who likes these guys and I just didn't get it.

sugarfull (May 27, 2009)

chalk me up as a "music snob".

scorpiondeathlock (May 27, 2009)

kids who wear hot pink shirts with neon green writing and bandannas are stoked.

im usually not THIS guy, but why the fuck was this reviewed?

if its on victory, its not good. period.

Bryne (May 27, 2009)

I'm ready for this fad to die.

Cheesetits (May 26, 2009)

I heard this band's horrible cover of a Kelly Clarkson song. That, in itself, should be grounds for banishment. Fuck em, not even going to try.

mikexdude (May 26, 2009)

I don't really consider myself a music snob -- I have been known to enjoy a few panic at the disco songs --- and I am young. This band, and most of the bands of this ilk suck.

inagreendase (May 26, 2009)

Good review, but elliot, you are a more generous man than me. This album is so difficult to listen to. I think I withstood about 70% of it on my first and only run through.