Common Courtesy - A Day To Remember
A Day To Remember is right back at it again with their highly-anticipated fifth album, Common Courtesy. Released on October 8th, three years after their last album, What Separates Me From You, the band has evolved once again, after the lawsuit with Victory Records. But that didn't stop them; the band has self-released the record without any involvement from record companies. It's clear that their determination has brought us yet another successful ADTR record.
The album opens with "City of Ocala" with fast-paced riffs and a welcoming "F*ck yeah!", a tribute to the band's hometown. "Right Back At It Again", one of the most infectious tracks on the record, shows the listener how passionate the band is in their experiences with the music industry.
An interesting aspect of the album are the recorded conversations that are slipped into the songs, giving insight into what the band life really is like. However, after a while it does feel rather repetitive, but the music does more than make up for it.
"Dead & Buried" and "Best Of Me" are furious songs certain to rouse mosh pits when performed live. "Violence (Enough Is Enough)" is the heaviest song on the album, with elaborate guitar riffs and strong growls from Jeremy McKinnon, the lead vocalist.
There are three acoustic tracks on the album: "I'm Already Gone", "I Surrender", and "End Of Me", which I personally feel is quite a few. Though they're certainly strong songs, they seem to clash with the others, especially with "Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way" that has plenty of screaming and breakdowns.
"I Remember" is the final track, with the band reminiscing on some of their past memories, ending the album on a more somber, slower note.
A Day To Remember has a new vibe now, though slightly inconsistent, thanks to their unfaltering determination and even their dispute with Victory Records. It's clear that each band member has changed as the years passed, with Jeremy using cleaner vocals than ever. The layering of instruments has also evolved, less on complimenting the lyrics but each having their own place in the music. Common Courtesy shows how far A Day To Remember has come without losing their trademark combination of pop-punk and metalcore to create something truly unique in the world of alternative music.
Rating: 4/5