The Wonder Years “Sleeping on Trash: A Collection of Songs” Album Review
Philadelphia’s pop punk heroes The Wonder Years are back, but not technically with the follow up to 2011’s Suburbia I’ve Given You All, and Now I am Nothing. Instead they present a Compilation titled: Sleeping on Trash: A collection of songs recorded between 2005-2010. This is a tasty collection of b-sides, covers, the “Won’t Be Pathetic Forever” EP, and for some weird reason, a couple of songs from their 2007 debut “Get Stoked on It”. For those not familiar with the band, The Wonder Years became a popular punk rock band in the year 2005, releasing “Get Stoked on It” which started their course to becoming a house hold name in contemporary pop punk alongside bands like Set Your Goals, Man overboard, and Transit.
The Wonder Years:
Dan
Matt
Casey
Josh
Mike
Nick
Available 02.12.2013
Track list
1. Mike Kennedy Is A Bad Friend
2. Solo & Chewy: Holdin’ It Down
3. Won’t Be Pathetic Forever
4. You’re Not a Salinger, Get over It
5. An Elegy for Baby Blue
6. Don’t Open The Fridge
7. Christmas at 22
8. Leavenhouse. 11:30.
9. My Geraldine Lies Over The Deleware
10. I Ain’t Saying He a Goldigga (Sike!)
11. Let’s Moschercise!!!
12. Through Two Hearts
13. Cheap Shots, Youth Anthems (Originally by Kid Dynamite)
14. Zip Lock (originally by Lit)
15. Hey Julie (originally by Fountains of Wayne)
16. Buzz Aldrin: The Poster Boy for Second Place
17. Cowboy Killers
18. I Fell in Love With A Ninja Master
The album begins with “Mike Kennedy Is A Bad Friend”. Starting with hardcore pump up riffage, but pop punk style. As we build up energy and feel the climax coming on, the song ends. This thematically might suggest that we are to empathize with the band feeling let down by Mike Kennedy in the same way we feel let down that this song built up all this momentum to suddenly end. If its not that deep in symbols and motifs, this is really just the intro to the song “Solo & Chewy: Holdin’ It Down” and most of us know how I feel about pointless album intros these days. Look out for a girl that sings at some point as you rock out, then the vocalist sings “I think that girl just saw your dick”. I’m not sure if it was deliberate or not, but its funny to think about.
Then there is “Won’t Be Pathetic Forever” , the title track from their previous EP. A lot of questions run through my mind during this song? Most importantly Is this the best song on the album? Another question to ask why the hell would you not include the title track of an EP on the EP itself thats probably one of the strongest songs in their catalog? Either way, glad its with us now. The lyrical themes are very empowering for those of us who don’t do so well with girls, and aren’t as popular as we like. There is hope for most of us out there-every dog has its day.
“ An Elegy for Baby Blue” rocks with the confidence only heard from a band that truly knows what they’re doing. Not to mention they aren’t afraid to slow down during the verses and leave room between their punk rock meshing. During the bridge, what sounds like the (now former) singer of Living With Lions joins in on the shouting and concludes the song with solid vocal power.
“ You’re Not a Salinger, Get over It” follows singing more of the lyrical styles I don’t like. I fully understand the ramifications of saying to someone “So chin up, and we’ll drown a little slower hey”, but its a bland take on pessimism, at least not worth saying more than once in the song. “Christmas at 22” is an acoustic Christmas song complete with jingle bells and a cute girl singing. Well, I imagine she’s cute. Either way, we now have another punk rock Christmas song to add to our Christmas party play lists
“Don’t Open The Fridge” is 90’s Emo sludge about what problems await you when you get back from tour. I am not particularly a fan of the lyrics, as they are mostly random Lines like “We’re attempting to raise an army of homeless people in the basement/the backyard is littered with body parts/these backyard nights are getting to us” etc. Phrases like these sound like blue collar attempts at poetry-we get it your house is shit hole cause you chose the rock and roll life. We appreciate the effort-but Chris Connelly is one of few who can get away with these types of lyrics.
“Leavenhouse.11:30.” is a jumping up and down, cover yourself and others in beer, while singing along song. Filled with glorious scale climbing choruses, and emotionally inspiring breakdowns. “My Geraldine Lies Over The Deleware” Is more hardcore with gang vocals, and screams accenting the melody. It sounds a bit like The Starting Line, if a hardcore yeller guy decided to holler in the background whenever he felt like it. There is a quasi tough, but melodic breakdown that has some frugal guitar work Fall Out Boy should be thanked for inspiring.
The yelling continues in “I Ain’t Saying He a Goldigga (Sike!)”. The 90’s influences of bands like the Promise Ring and The Get Up Kids can be heard. During the verses the lead singer decides to just moan his lyrics, to waste time until they get to the chorus. I think it works. However screaming “the end of the rainbow” during the bridge is a little corny.
“ Through Two Hearts” is a gentle ballad filled with nimble piano pressings, and delicate guitar plucks. Electric twangs echo in the distance, and sweet prose pours into our heart and by 2:03 hooks us for good. Soon the rest of the band joins in and all of a sudden we have a fully orchestrated song. There is a super catchy guest vocal at 3:45.
More of the 90’s inspired punk occurs in “Let’s Moschercise!!!” attributing much of their chops to the guys in The Get Up Kids, and the rest to New Found Glory. The chorus has some of the coolest use of guitar harmonics I’ve heard in awhile. A two step part interrupts for a brief moment, and several sloppy interludes are shoved in to get us to the chorus-without having to write another verse. You barely made out of this song guys!
“ Cheap Shots, Youth Anthems (Originally by Kid Dynamite)” is basically a rehash of the original tune, not much elaborate re-imaginings or arrangements, they stick to whats great about the song. But I’d rather listen to Kid Dynamite then listen to The Wonder Years play Kid Dynamite. “Hey Julie (originally by Fountains of Wayne)” is an interesting choice for a band like The Wonder Years. Its an appropriate choice as Fountains of Wayne are one of the kings of Power Pop, every band can learn a thing or two from them. Sticking to the acoustic arrangement in the original song, TWY strum guitars and shake tambourines to the bittersweet lyrics of the song. Another great choice for a cover is: “Zip Lock (originally by Lit)”. This cover is actually the smoothest, performance I ever heard from TWY, and hopefully will get some younger folk to check out Lit’s album “A Place In The Sun” which has some great stuff on it.
When “Buzz Aldrin: The Poster Boy for Second Place” is cued, this when we get to the older material, and in my opinion the best stuff on the album. TWY channel their inner teenager and rock like nerds with no idea what they’re doing, and to me that sounds perfect. To this music, I want make out with a girl wearing thick framed glasses. I’ll dream of days when I’ll be cool and the girls I like, like me back. To this song, me and my friends will be best friends forever. “Cowboy Killers” continues the sloppy goodness of years past, and evokes chord progressions favored by Simple Plan. “I Fell in Love With A Ninja Master” is percussion driven, with more aggressive vocals. Its ends the album with a super bad ass rap metal breakdown, that makes us want to karate chop and throw ultimate punches.
While the band may have been “sleeping” on these songs, they are far from trash. This is saying a lot, considering I am mostly a fan of their album “Get Stoked On It” and the song “Came Out Swinging” was annoying enough to turn me off to the majority of their later material. However “Trash” yields some gems that is some of their best material (Others may disagree as I am not so familiar with “The Upsides” and most of “Suburbia”). In general, when The Wonder Years get guitar sloppy and whip out the cheesy Synths; they are at their best. It is indeed strange that they would include 3 tracks from “Get Stoked On It” after they had recently re-released the album beautifully remixed and remastered. Regardless of such reason, this collection of material spanning the years they rose to fame, proves worthy of release. Hardcore fans will definitely eat it up. Although I’m not really sold on the majority of the stuff on this album, It reminded me why I enjoy The Wonder Years. So overall; good job guys, and rock on.
http://www.thewonderyearsband.com
http://www.twitter.com/twypoppunk
http://www.hopelessrecords.com
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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