Florida band Mayday Parade have been sugaring the bitter pill since their formation in 2005. Songs of heartbreak and loss have never sounded so appealing as when delivered by the band’s unique alt-rock/pop-punk/emo blend. Now that Mayday Parade have reached their twentieth-anniversary (man, I’m feeling old), they celebrate this milestone in the best possible way, with the first instalment of a three-part album. First in this (holy) trinity is Sweet, an eight track affair that finds the band at the top of their game, bringing a wealth of experience to bear and setting the bar exceptionally high for what is to follow.
Mayday Parade’s greatest strength is undoubtedly their mastering of the “quiet storm”. Whether it is live, or on record, the band don’t feel the need to arrive with drums firing and guitars blazing, preferring to colour their canvas in a more measured way. Opening track ‘By The Way’ is indicative of this and it blooms like a bud in warm Spring sunshine. Adding sounds, almost imperceptibly, it gradually envelopes the listener in a warm glow and from its small beginnings grows into a mighty oak, and without warning embeds itself in your memory bank. Long time producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount have done a grand job here (and on the whole album), ensuring that when the band lock in, it is with their trademark bounce. It’s this juxtaposition between the loud and quiet, the sweet and sour, buoyant and weighty, that makes a Mayday Parade release so engrossing, and the producers manipulate sonics to ensure that the high-octane ‘Who’s Laughing Now’ leaves a trail of sparks in its wake, and ‘Who We Are’ hangs heavy like a concrete overcoat.
Overall, Sweet is an album which walks the fine line between a band pleasing themselves and sating their fans. Obviously, the band have grown as people over the past two decades and they aren’t singing about their teenage afflictions anymore (which is how it should be), yet many of the themes on here (interpersonal relationships, love, and introspection) are universal and they’re all brought together on final track ‘Pretty Good To Feel Something’, not so much a conclusion but a signpost, and it’s pointing towards great things. Sweet, indeed.
- Sweet is released on 18th April 2025.
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Track List:
- By The Way
- 4,000 Days Plus The Ones I Don’t Remember
- Who’s Laughing Now
- This Personified
- Who We Are
- Natural
- Towards You
- Pretty Good To Feel Something
