The Upsides
Encyclopedia
The Upsides is the second studio album
by American pop punk
band The Wonder Years
, released through No Sleep Records on January 26, 2010. The album was recorded with producer Vince Ratti at Skylight Studios in Fairless Hills, PA. After being signed by Hopeless Records, The Upsides was later reissued in a deluxe edition featuring four new songs.
one day he noticed it had been switched on. This triggered a realisation for him, and he decided that it wasn't okay to be so defeated at 23. After a month of writing with the band living in his home, they emerged with a newly adopted 'we're not sad any more' philosophy.
Whilst the lyrics have been referred to as "more personal than ever", the band hasn't shied too far away from the humor on their previous releases, with topics mentioned including sexting
, cock-blocking, and fist pumping. The lyrics also venture into different themes in each song, from the loneliness of tour life ("Everything I Own Fits in this Backpack"), to social awkwardness ("This Party Sucks") and persevering through bad times ("Washington Square Park"). Allmusic's review said The Upsides has a concept album
-like feel and is filled with "post-college angst, busted hearts, big questions, hope, anger, humor, and life". Continuing to say the songs fit together like an intricate puzzle, flowing like it was an entire diary's worth of observations, feelings and events.
Campbell said "when the record came out, I was not in the best spot." He had just broken up with his girlfriend of two years, but still felt "the prevailing theme kind of worked because while I was kind of down at the moment, it was a different down than I had been before. Like in the past, I’ve been depressed, and just kind of been complacent, and ok with it, but this was a different sad. This was a sad where I was mourning what I didn’t have anymore, with the girl I was dating and a couple [of] other things, but it wasn’t hopeless. I knew things were going to get better, and it was just a matter of waiting it out." They later recorded bonus tracks for The Upsides, and one of the songs was about the situation he found himself in upon the album's release.
Top Heatseekers
and 42 on the Top Independent Albums charts.
In support of the album, The Wonder Years did the Kimbo Wants a Pepsi tour of the United States, before heading to Europe for The Enemy of Europe tour, which included two shows for the Slam Dunk Festival and a string of dates supporting friends Four Year Strong
and Fireworks
. They also supported New Found Glory
, toured with Streetlight Manifesto
and Crime in Stereo
, and headlined an Australian tour.
Following the success of the album's release, The Wonder Years announced in May 2010 that they had signed with Hopeless Records
.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years (band)
The Wonder Years is an American pop punk band from Lansdale, Pennsylvania that began in June 2005. Since then, they have released three full length albums, two EPs, and several splits/compilation contributions...
, released through No Sleep Records on January 26, 2010. The album was recorded with producer Vince Ratti at Skylight Studios in Fairless Hills, PA. After being signed by Hopeless Records, The Upsides was later reissued in a deluxe edition featuring four new songs.
Concept and themes
As vocalist and lyricist Dan "Soupy" Campbell explains on the album's vinyl release, The Upsides is about fighting back. He began writing the album on early morning bike rides, compiling lines in a notebook for an album that was intended to be about how he had given up. Although it seemed the members of the band had been beaten into misery in their early 20s, as Campbell was riding his bike down past the fountain at "Logan Circle"Logan Circle (Philadelphia)
Logan Circle, also known as Logan Square, is an open-space park in Center City Philadelphia's northwest quadrant and one of the five original planned squares laid out on the city grid. The circle itself exists within the original bounds of the square; the names Logan Square and Logan Circle are...
one day he noticed it had been switched on. This triggered a realisation for him, and he decided that it wasn't okay to be so defeated at 23. After a month of writing with the band living in his home, they emerged with a newly adopted 'we're not sad any more' philosophy.
Whilst the lyrics have been referred to as "more personal than ever", the band hasn't shied too far away from the humor on their previous releases, with topics mentioned including sexting
Sexting
Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs, primarily between mobile phones. The term was first popularized in early 21st century, and is a portmanteau of sex and texting, where the latter is meant in the wide sense of sending a text possibly with...
, cock-blocking, and fist pumping. The lyrics also venture into different themes in each song, from the loneliness of tour life ("Everything I Own Fits in this Backpack"), to social awkwardness ("This Party Sucks") and persevering through bad times ("Washington Square Park"). Allmusic's review said The Upsides has a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
-like feel and is filled with "post-college angst, busted hearts, big questions, hope, anger, humor, and life". Continuing to say the songs fit together like an intricate puzzle, flowing like it was an entire diary's worth of observations, feelings and events.
Campbell said "when the record came out, I was not in the best spot." He had just broken up with his girlfriend of two years, but still felt "the prevailing theme kind of worked because while I was kind of down at the moment, it was a different down than I had been before. Like in the past, I’ve been depressed, and just kind of been complacent, and ok with it, but this was a different sad. This was a sad where I was mourning what I didn’t have anymore, with the girl I was dating and a couple [of] other things, but it wasn’t hopeless. I knew things were going to get better, and it was just a matter of waiting it out." They later recorded bonus tracks for The Upsides, and one of the songs was about the situation he found himself in upon the album's release.
Release and promotion
The Upsides sold nearly 2,000 units in its first week, charting at number nine on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
and 42 on the Top Independent Albums charts.
In support of the album, The Wonder Years did the Kimbo Wants a Pepsi tour of the United States, before heading to Europe for The Enemy of Europe tour, which included two shows for the Slam Dunk Festival and a string of dates supporting friends Four Year Strong
Four Year Strong
Four Year Strong is an American pop punk band from Worcester, Massachusetts, formed in 2001. The group consists of vocalists and guitarists Dan O'Connor and Alan Day, bassist Joe Weiss, and drummer Jackson Massucco...
and Fireworks
Fireworks (punk band)
Fireworks is an American pop-punk band from Metro Detroit, Michigan. currently signed to Triple Crown Records. Their most recent album, Gospel, was released on May 24, 2011.-History:...
. They also supported New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
, toured with Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto is an American punk band with many influences from different genres including ska, from New Brunswick, New Jersey fronted by Tomas Kalnoky....
and Crime in Stereo
Crime In Stereo
Crime in Stereo was a Long Island-based melodic hardcore band. Comparable to Dag Nasty, Brand New, and Lifetime, the band released their debut, a split with New York's Kill Your Idols, in 2003 on hardcore label Blackout! Records...
, and headlined an Australian tour.
Following the success of the album's release, The Wonder Years announced in May 2010 that they had signed with Hopeless Records
Hopeless Records
Hopeless Records is an independent record label located in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. The label was started in 1993 by Louis Posen and financed by a group of private investors. Hopeless's artists are generally considered punk rock, pop punk, post-hardcore, or alternative rock, but some...
.
Deluxe edition re-release
The band released a deluxe reissue of The Upsides through their new label Hopeless Records. The reissue included four extra tracks, two of which had not been heard before. "I Was Scared and I'm Sorry" was written about a break-up and everything changing in Soupy's life. "We Won't Bury You" was written for a friend of the band who was in rehab, he died of an overdose before ever hearing the song. The first of the reworked songs was a fun take on "Dynamite Shovel"; "Recorded live in one room with a bunch of mics everywhere, this finds us stomping and clapping and yelling and laughing". The final track is a completely reworked "slowed down, piano-based version" of the song "Logan Circle", said to be "completely reminiscent of the song it actually is, but it's different lyrics (and a) different structure".Reception
Allmusic said the "bleeding humanity" of the band and how Campbell "sounds like a regular guy, not a rock & roll frontman" help The Upsides bring "a time-honored sound" and "make it sound fresh and exciting by doing it seriously right". Reviewer Tim Sendra complimented the duelling riffs of guitarists Matt Brasch and Casey Cavaliere, Mike Kennedy's drum work and how Nick Steinborn adds the occasional unobtrusive keyboard part - "They simply take the best of each element of their conglomerated sound (the hookiness of pop, the heart-spilling fever of emo, the rambling energy of punk) and let it rip."Track listing
Band
- Dan "Soupy" Campbell — vocals, ukulele
- Matt Brasch — guitars, vocals
- Josh Martin — bass, vocals
- Casey Cavaliere — guitar, vocals
- Michael Kennedy — drums
- Nick Steinborn - keys, guitar
- Bill Henderson — mastering
- Jake Sulzer — mastering(acoustic tracks)
- Mitchell Wojcik — photography
- Guest vocals on "Hey Thanks" — Rachel Minton
- Guest trombone on "Hey Thanks" — Matt Belanger (We Are The Union)
- Guest vocals on "All My Friends Are in Bar Bands" — Shane Henderson (ValenciaValencia (band)Valencia is an alternative rock/punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are currently on hiatus.-History:Valencia met by playing local shows together around the tri-state area in separate bands. George Ciukurescu and JD Perry grew up together; attending elementary school, high school, and...
), Dave Mackinder (FireworksFireworks (punk band)Fireworks is an American pop-punk band from Metro Detroit, Michigan. currently signed to Triple Crown Records. Their most recent album, Gospel, was released on May 24, 2011.-History:...
), Matty Arsenault (A Loss For WordsA Loss For WordsA Loss for Words is an American pop-punk band from Abington, Massachusetts.They recorded their album The Kids Can't Lose at Playwork Productions in Pennsylvania...
), Jamie Rhoden (Title FightTitle FightTitle Fight is an American pop punk/hardcore band from Kingston, Pennsylvania, United States, formed in 2003. Title Fight plays music in the vein of Jawbreaker, Kid Dynamite and Lifetime, taking influence from such pop punk acts as Saves the Day and emo bands Knapsack and Seaweed...
), Nik Bruzzese (Man OverboardMan Overboard (band)Man Overboard is an American pop punk band from Mt. Laurel and Williamstown, New Jersey that began in 2008. Since then, they have released two EP's, an acoustic EP, a split with Boston pop punk band Transit, a compilation of old songs and a full length album...
), Charlie Saxton and Nick O'Neill (Sink Or Swim)