Is there a better way to celebrate a twentieth anniversary than with new music? Florida quartet Mayday Parade don’t seem to think so and they’re marking this milestone with a three-part album, the second instalment of which is titled Sad (and follows April’s Sweet, reviewed here) and finds the band consolidating their position as premier purveyors of pop-punk/emo. Featuring eight tracks that shimmer and shine, Sad is a bittersweet affair that takes tales of heartache and wraps them up in a delicious melodies for a record that never fails to satisfy.

Mayday Parade have had the same line-up since 2007 and this has given their discography a cohesive feel, and one which many of their peers lack. The band give the impression that they are a tightly knitted gang, rather than a bunch of jobbing musicians, and this gives them a kind of musical elasticity that allows them to try on different shades whilst staying true to their core sound, and that’s very much the aesthetic on Sad. Of the eight tracks, no two inhabit the same sonic space and that makes this outing a multifaceted affair. For the opening song ‘It’s Not All Bad’, Mayday Parade play to their strengths, delivering a muscular track that’s tempered by tender lyrics. It’s a duality that runs throughout much of their work, but it has rarely been done with such panache as here. It finds the band drawing upon all their experience to deliver a song that pulls the listener in two directions; not unlike being stretched upon a rack (but far more pleasurable, obviously!).

Even if it’s your first time hearing ‘Under My Sweater’, it’ll feel strangely familiar, kind of like an old friend (or, indeed, an old sweater), and even if you don’t know the words (yet), you’ll find yourself singing along. It’s a track that reminds me a little of New York’s finest, Polar Bear Club; it’s hard, yet melodic, and hits the heart and head simultaneously. That fluidity I alluded to earlier comes into play with the following ‘Promises’, an achingly-beautiful ballad that doesn’t seem out of place sandwiched betwixt ‘Under My Sweater’ and the upbeat ‘I Miss The 90’s’. It’s a freedom that must be the envy of many a band and ensures that Sad never becomes stagnant or staid. You know what they say about rolling stones and moss, well the same thing applies here.

Sad subjects melded to upbeat melodies is nothing new in popular music, but it has rarely been done with the chutzpah as on the penultimate ‘Breakup Song’ and is destined to fill many a dance floor. It sets things up nicely for closer ‘I Must Obey The Inscrutable Exhortations Of My Soul’, a track that hints at some of the delights to be found in the following chapter. But for now, enjoy being Sad.

• Sad is released on 3rd October 2025 (available here).
• Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube Channel

Track List:

1. It’s Not All Bad
2. Under My Sweater
3. Promises
4. I Miss The 90’s
5. One Day At A Time
6. In Every Way, Shape Or Form
7. Breakup Song
8. I Must Obey The Inscrutable Exhortations Of My Soul