Mayday Parade Provides Big Melodies And Even Bigger Emotions With ‘Sad’

Tallahassee-based pop punk veterans Mayday Parade have returned once again with their latest release, ‘Sad’. This marks the second part of their project, following ‘Sweet’ from earlier this year. It once again plays into what makes this band so likable and personable to the genre, and to the scene as a whole. 

We start off with “It’s Not All Bad”, and I love the crunchy guitar tone we get right off the rip. The synth on here, as well as the melodies, feel very inspired from 80’s music I noticed. The chorus feels simple, but signature as it’s catchy as per usual. The guitar from guitarist Alex Garcia is a standout here too, as it’ll be highlighted even further throughout these eight tracks. The bridge is pretty stellar as well, and it makes for a really solid track one. 

We follow up with the first single, with “Under My Sweater”. It gives off immediate old Mayday Parade vibes, as well as a summer sort of feeling whilst listening to this one. it’s got one of the best choruses across these songs, by a mile. The nostalgia has felt very present so far on these songs as well, and they tap into that so well even with new songs. Front man Derek Sanders is doing what he does best, singing his heart out and belting out these lyrics with his heart on his sleeve. And the double time is a nice touch on the final chorus as well. 

We slow down a little for a more familiar and emotional sort of track, with “Promises”. This feels like this band tapping into what people know they do best, stripped back emotional tunes. And no one does it like they do. It gives off vibes to their 2018 album, in ‘Sunnyland’. The lyrics feel earnest as ever, since a lyric like “I miss you more than I did before” feels simple and yet, elegant in its delivery. The orchestral elements on this track feel incredibly effective, and the buildup throughout feels earned once the song is concluded. I appreciate how well paced these songs have been thus far, and that we get different sides of this band. 

We follow up with another highlight off this release, with “I Miss the 90’s”. The piano right off the bat comes in strong to intro this one. I gotta say that there’s something so natural and seamless when it comes to this band, their melodies, and their lyrics coming off with such ease and genuine nature. The drums by drummer Jake Bundrick are an easy standout here, as they impress like no other. The earnestness continues with a lyric like “There’s a part of me that misses fireworks and rainy days” that I’m sure we can all relate to on some level. 

We slow down even more with the most stripped back song on here, with “One Day at a Time”. All I’ll say is an acoustic guitar hates to see Mayday Parade coming. It’s got more country, acoustic vibes on this one. It honestly reminds me of some of Taylor Acorn’s songs and it’s not uncommon for them to throw a track like this on here. It’s just got such infectious early 2000’s alternative energy, that this band knows just how to tap into nostalgia so well. My favorite lyric is on this one, with “You’re all that I want, but you’re not what I need right now”. That feels so introspective and another thing I’m sure many can relate to as well.

We pick the energy back up and the most on here, with “In Some Way, Shape, or Form”. This one gives off some true 2007 MySpace pop punk vibes, that it really did take me back listening to a song like this one. The bass by bassist Jeremy Lenzo is a standout on this one. And gives off some Blink-182 vibes, and what Mark Hoppus does with his parts. The bridge goes hard here, and I appreciate just how well paced these songs have been on the track listing. I gotta also give a shoutout to how crisp and clean this production sounds, it’s pleasing to the ears for sure.

We reach the most pop-influenced song on here in the penultimate track, “Breakup Song”. This one really delves heavy on the pop rock aspect of the band, and it gives off immediate Arrows In Action vibes. The clean guitar parts on here feel simple, but fitting for a track like this one. And I do appreciate this being a good example of the band showing some variety on this release. The keys in the background here are quite a standout as well, and make the song feel exactly how it should be. 

We reach the end of our journey with an unexpectedly named banger, in “I Must Obey the Inscrutable Exhortations of My Soul”. It comes in immediately hot with the melodies and the energy, and caught me off guard. But I appreciate how interestingly unexpected this song feels structured, it makes for a fitting and wonderful closing track. Plus, the guitar solo by Garcia to bookend the start and end of this song is pretty kick ass. The piano and orchestral elements here feel earned once more, and make this feel like a more grand song to end with. And I think this is a pretty solid representation of what this band sounds like from top to bottom, and what they’re about honestly.

All in all, I feel that ‘Sad’ is a great follow up and sibling release to ‘Sweet’. They both include a collection of songs that equate to a wonderful album as a whole. Mayday Parade continues to stay true to themselves fully and wholeheartedly, while tapping into what made them special all these years and making music for the fans.