I was catapulted into a world of pop-punk perfection the first time I heard “Thirty Something” from Eternal Boy. When I heard they had a full album come out, I just couldn’t contain my excitement. Sadly, life has gotten in the way and I just haven’t had time to sit down and give this album my ears until now. I’m ready for it now and am so anxious to see what else this band has to offer so let’s jump into their new album ‘Bad Days Are Over’.
The title track, “bad Days Are Over”, gets this album started and I was instantly catapulted back into my nostalgia-fueled fog. Although Eternal Boy’s sound is super nostalgic, it doesn’t feel like a carbon copy of anything which I loved. Sure, there are nods to the great pop-punk bands of years gone by like All Time Low and Fall Out Boy but there’s something fresh about their sound that keeps it feeling outdated. I honestly found myself envisioning being in a sweaty crowd as people jumped around me to the infectious beat of this opening track. I was so lost in this thought and yearning to see this band live that, before I knew it, this opening track was done.
“A Long Year” keeps with the nostalgia-fueled sound but brings a bit of an edge to it. The drums seem to hit just a little bit harder in this track and the words come with a little bit more of a bitter bite. I loved this new edge and loved how, again, it mirrors the bands of years gone by while still feeling fresh. This is another track where I couldn’t help but see the parts in the song where people would be jumping up and down in unison and then the parts when people would start screaming the words to their friends with exaggerated hand movements. What I’m trying to say is that I’m desperate to see this band live. Can you tell?
I’ll be honest, I was anxiously awaiting “Thirty Something” to take over my house and, thankfully, it was the next track. The title alone says everything you need to know about my attachment to this track. From the lyrics to the pop-punk perfection, this track is seriously me in a nutshell and maybe my new anthem for the foreseeable future. The beat in this track is super dancey but the lyrics hit so hard. I think that’s what drew me to pop-punk from the beginning, the raw lyrics that hit right to the core matched with a beat that makes you want to jump and a speed that makes you feel the sweat of a pit. To say that Eternal Boy nails this vibe on every track would be an understatement and it really hits hard with this amazing track.
“The L Word” references Warped Tour and just hear those words together made my heart so warm. Although I could list a million bands that this track made me think of, it was Forever The Sickest Kids that came to mind the most for this track. Again, not a carbon copy but I instantly felt the need to queue up FTSK’s old albums for after this track. Just as I started digging for those old albums, “Listen For the Clues” took over my house and my heart and I completely forgot about the rabbit hole I was about to go down. I feel like I keep saying the same thing about all of these tracks but they really don’t differ much. This is another example of the pop-punk perfection that Eternal Boy has. I wish I had more but I just don’t. It sounds bad to say that all of the tracks sound the same and that’s not exactly what I’m trying to say here but I talk about the vibes that I get from songs and I’m getting the same perfect vibe from all of these tracks.
The drums that kick off “One Dream at a Time” seem to be a little homage to Travis Barker which, duh, was a huge selling point to me. The track wastes no time blasting back into Eternal Boy’s distinct pop-punk sound but with a faster beat. There’s a playfulness that comes into play with the vocals of this track which made it another instant favorite of mine. This track is a great example of splitting the difference between optimistic pop-punk and a more bitter edge when it comes to the lyrics and I loved that so much. No spoiler alerts here, listen to the track and take it all in.
The beginning of “You’re Going to Regret It” has to be the most classic pop-punk sound I’ve ever heard and, yeah, I loved it. It helps you jump into this track in the perfect way. Again, this track isn’t that much different than the previous tracks but I feel like you get to see the amazing vocal range that this band has. Again, I found myself completely lost in the beat of this track and, before I knew it, “You’re Going to Regret It” had been replaced by “Promise” which slows things down absolutely perfectly. Like any good pop-punk band, “Promise” showcases a softer side of Eternal Boy. An acoustic track that instantly filled my heart with so much warmth and comfort, it was nice to see that, although Eternal Boy is such a fun band that can make you move with ease, they can also be sensitive and showcase their amazing lyrics in a beautiful spotlight.
“Nightmare” closes out this album with a sense of aggression (or at least as aggressive as pop-punk really gets) which was absolutely perfect. I like how the band kept this song for the end as if daring you to forget who they are or their sound. Although this song caps off the album perfectly, it also makes you want to go back and listen to the whole thing again.
I had high hopes for Eternal Boy’s ‘Bad Days Are Over’ but was also nervous that they may not meet my expectations. I am kind of a snob when it comes to this nostalgia-fueled pop-punk sound but there’s nothing to be snobby about here. Eternal Boy killed it and then some. If you are like me and still pray to the pop-punk gods for the early 2000s to come back and take over the music scene again, this is the album for you.
My Favorite Track(s): “Thirty Something”; “One Dream at a Time”
For Fans Of: Pop-Punk Perfection; Nostalgia
Mosh-ability: 10 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie slept on the back of the couch; Autumn slept upstairs
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 10 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 10 out of 10
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May 25, 2021 at 4:40 pm
Great interview.. Thanks again.. M.B.