The long-reigning kings of pop punk in All Time Low, or ATL, have brought the world magic when it needs it most. As everyone continues to stay shuttered inside their homes, music has become more of a form of solace than ever before. ATL’s latest album, Wake Up, Sunshine, holds something for every mood, and it proves that after all this time, the band hasn’t skipped a single beat.
ATL, which got its name from the song “Head On Collision” by New Found Glory, came to be in 2003 while all its members were in high school. Frontman Alex Gaskarth, guitarists Jack Barakat and TJ Ihle, bassist Chris Cortilello and drummer Rian Dawson started out by covering pop punk bands, not knowing it would eventually become one of the most well-known itself. Ihle and Cortilello departed the band in the same year, with Zack Merrick replacing Cortilello.
The band dropped two EPs in 2004, signing with Emerald Moon Records between each release. ATL released its first LP, The Party Scene, in 2005 but didn’t have a label anymore by the end of the year. In 2006, it signed with Hopeless Records. Fourteen years and seven albums later, ATL is now one of the most recognizable bands in the world.
ATL crafted Wake Up, Sunshine before the COVID-19 pandemic came to fruition, yet it contains a type of emotional restorative that a lot of people desperately need right now. Gaskarth’s strong vocals never fail to evoke feelings of nostalgia and better times, especially in the bridge of the radiant “Glitter & Crimson.”
“Getaway Green” has that classic ATL sound, complete with a pulsating guitar line from Barakat. The only low point of the album is “Monsters (feat. blackbear),” and most of the problems lie in blackbear’s unneeded verse. All of the merely few issues of that track, however, are completely eclipsed with the remainder of this brilliant album. Here are the best five tracks from Wake Up, Sunshine:
5. “Some Kind of Disaster”
Leading off the album is “Some Kind of Disaster,” a story about the band’s continuing history. Behind a roaring guitar line from Barakat in the chorus, Gaskarth asks fans if, after all this time, they still want more ATL music: “And it’s all my fault that I’m still the one you want / So what are you after? / Some kind of disaster?” The fade-out is quite dramatic, but the track is wholly enjoyable.
4. “Pretty Venom (Interlude)”
“Pretty Venom (Interlude)” is a tranquil wonderland. Gaskarth can’t seem to get away from a former significant other, someone who continues to mess with his psyche: “Runnin’ ’round in circles down a one-way track ’cause you know what you do / How you gonna say that? Take it all back / F------ with my head will make my heart attack.” The track is stripped to mostly acoustic guitar and gentle drumming, and it marked the beginning of the latter, better half of the album.
3. “January Gloom (Seasons, Pt. 1)”
“January Gloom (Seasons, Pt.1)” is all about the miserable feelings that come hand-in-hand with seasonal depression. Alongside energizing instrumentation from every band member, Gaskarth pleads for a special someone to help distract him from his dispirited thoughts: “I blame it on the weather / Can you make it better now? / Come on, and save me from this January gloom.” Gaskarth’s vocal range in this track is exceptional.
2. “Favorite Place (feat. The Band CAMINO)”
If you weren’t aware of The Band CAMINO’s feature on “Favorite Place,” it’ll only take about three seconds to realize as that shimmering guitar line makes its way. Gaskarth and The Band CAMINO’s Jeffrey Jordan take the time to divulge how even though they're apart from their respective significant others, they crave to be with them once more. Gaskarth in the chorus, especially sings sweetly of his past love: “Yeah, you’re everything I love about the things I hate in me / So come on, come on over now, and fix me with your grace / ’Cause I’m not too far, and you’re my favorite place.”
1. “Safe”
“Safe” envelops that classic ATL sound with an optimistic message about the future. Gaskarth knows sometimes we all need a break from everything, and he recommends going to your happy place where you feel secure: “So put the car in drive, and don’t stop runnin’ ’til you’re long gone / You’re gonna be all right if you just stop thinkin’ it over / … They’ll never slow you down if you don’t look over your shoulder.” Everything, from the brilliant instrumentation to Gaskarth’s encouraging, gorgeous vocals, shines. This track is nothing short of hopeful, and it’s the best from Wake Up, Sunshine.
Rating: 4/5
