A Day To Remember - "You're Welcome" Album Review

In 2021 we have already seen a drastic change in our country to get to a sense of some sort of normal. And while we're not there quite yet it is news that we've all been dying to hear. And when it comes to the music industry and where it's being led takes with it some eye rolls and wondering where has creativity gone; and on A Day To Remember's first album in five years "You're Welcome" that is the overarching question that lingers throughout the listen as you wonder how this record manages to go off the rails and never finds it's footing. Sure bands can evolve their sound as to being the reason for this record, but evolving doesn't mean sucking the soul out of a record that fans have been anticipating since 2019. So on "You're Welcome" how do the band manage to try and forego a formula that they are well known for and completely wash it out with a lazy follow up to their last record "Bad Vibrations"?.

Well it's simple. "You're Welcome" suffers some what of an identity crisis. On one hand it tries too hard to be popular on the trends and every generic cliche that modern day rock has to offer and see if it sticks, while trying to "stay true" with their core sound and innovate on it. On the other hand it tries to throw everything that they've done in the past while adding modern day production to the mix that falls flat. 

"You're Welcome" to put it simply is about experimentation and rediscovering yourself while also trying to finding how to change not just yourself but the product that you are pouring your life into and while on paper it's a fine enough premise for a pop-punk and melodic-hardcore album but it completely falls flat due to the inconsistency of the narrative and the generic cliches that plagues this record throughout the run time. Sure some fans will enjoy the cleaned up pop-punk and pop-rock sound but it feels disingenuous as it feels more like a cash grab than a genuine product.

Now the record was produced by Colin Brittain who is most known for working with the likes of Papa Roach, 5 Seconds Of Summer, All Time Low, and From Ashes To New. And you can definitely tell as the record place and tone is such a bland and boring product that has little to nothing to show for it. Not say to that there's nothing on the record that's redeemable or at the very least listenable but the rest of the record does nothing but drag on at a snail's pace.

Now where the record shines is with it's tracks where it at least felt like there was actual work put into them. The track 'Mindreader' which was one of the singles for instance makes good use of the pop-rock sound giving off a "Save Rock And Roll" era Fall Out Boy vibe that for the most part works in it's favor for a fun arena filled pop-rock rager.

'Last Chance To Dance (Bad Friend)' gives off a hardcore punk vibe very reminiscent of their previous outing "Bad Vibrations" as it's hulking hardcore riffs mixed with a rougher around the edges vibe works well for this track as it feels like the more aggressive side of ADTR that we all know and love while also combining elements of acts like The Ghost Inside and Bring Me The Horizon giving off a wall of energy that is otherwise missed on the rest of the record.

'High Diving' shines through with a sing along esque pop-rock track that also feels like something out of Fall Out Boy's playbook but it also almost has a Snow Patrol vibe that automatically gives it this 90's pop-rock and alternative feel that for the most part works in it's favor.

'Resentment' hits hard with a hard rock filled rager that does nothing but amp you up for a good time with arguably one of the catchiest hooks that the band has ever made and easily one of the band's best tracks in a long time.

And 'Permanent' kicks hard with a pop-punk and post-hardcore rager that fills the track with a wall of melodic sound and a catchy chorus to boot.

While the record does have some redeemable qualities the rest of the record lands flat in a roller coaster filled nightmare of cliched generics, trend hopping, lack of vision, and an added sense of laziness that plagues this record more times than it should.

'Brick Wall' could have been a great record opener but the main problem with this track in particular is it's pacing feeling like it wants to be three different tracks all piled in on top of each other over lapping into a chaotic mess. 

'Bloodsucker' dives deep into radio rock territories and doesn't know how to get out of the hole that it dug itself.

'Viva La Mexico' tries to do the pop-punk sound justice but then it just turns into a painfully generic listen that rivals some of the worst music that plagues the radio airwaves.

'Only Money' is a laughably bad pop ballad that trails on Imagine Dragons and Train territories that produces nothing but cringe.

'Degenerates' which was the first taste that we got of the record in 2019 is a nightmarish blend of a radio pop sing along, a bad Blink-182 covers track, and a painfully generic pop-punk and pop-rock track that does literally nothing and it's instantly forgettable.

And finally 'Everything We Need' which is a sorry excuse for a pop-country crossover track that only makes the record even worse. It's forced chorus along with the painfully bad backing vocals make for an agonizing listen that even diehard fans couldn't even stomach.

The record suffers from an identity crisis, a lack of vision, and a sense of a marketable lazy cash grab that almost feels like the modern day equivalent of a sell out moment.

"You're Welcome" has the heart of a money hungry executive that only wants to make money and sure there are a handful of tracks that at the very least tried to capture some sense of listenable but with the lack of vision and the overall laziness of the production easily makes for the band's worst album to date and a massive disappointment.

Written by Samuel Cook

Rating: 2/5

COURTESY OF @ FUELED BY RAMEN