Baltimore based band All Time Low released their 8th studio album Wake Up Sunshine. In January the band twitter posted cryptic images of past album era logos, eventually revealing the logo for the new era. If you’re looking for your summer anthem(s), Wake Up Sunshine has it. From mellow slow jams to fast paced guitars/drums, this album has every drop of sunshine you need to get you through any and everything this summer.

Track 2 & 3, “Sleeping In” and “Getaway Green” bring about fast-paced guitar-driven choruses that singer Alex Gaskarth delivered quite well on. “Getaway Green” is the first song that the band live debuted, during their 18-song set last summer at Slam Dunk Music Festival in England. Both are happy feel-good tracks to roll the windows down to.

“Melancholy Kaleidoscope” and “Trouble Is” dig right back into the roots of All Time Low. The intro guitar riff on "Melancholy" has similarities that could honestly have placed it on Put Up or Shut Up, So Wrong it’s Right or even Nothing Personal. It leaves an anthemic message of “Can’t be 100 if you’re only giving 95.” Similarly “Trouble Is” follows suit while still showing growth musically. Speaking of growth Gaskarth really lets the grittier side of his voice come out in this, but he out-does himself later on in “Glitter & Crimson.”

For the more seasoned All Time Low fan, the title track “Wake Up Sunshine” may seem generic. Twitter user Jack McCann made a great comparison and pointed out that the song is “Written for their young fans that need to hear 'somebody loves you' just as I needed to hear ‘you’re safe from the weight of the world’ when I was a kid” from 2007’s “Stay Awake” off So Wrong, It’s Right. Fret not, there’s plenty more record.

From the outside looking in, “Monsters” and “Pretty Venom” may seem like the black sheep of the album, dipping into hip hop/ mellow r&b. It was co-written by guitarist Jack Barakat’s WhoHurtYou band mate Kevin Fisher, and producer Andrew Goldstein, who worked on 5 Seconds of Summer’s 2018 album Youngblood and most recently and notably Blackbear’s single “Hot Girl Bummer.” Goldstein is actually the connecting dot that recommended the band feature Blackbear on the track. The contrast of Gaskarth and Musto’s voices complement one another seamlessly in the verses to create a well crafted 3rd finger to bad habits and/ or an ex significant other. The other long-awaited feature comes in the form of Fueled By Ramen label mates, The BAND CAMINO. “Favorite Place” is a great blend of alternative pop with the drive of 2009’s “Walls” from Nothing Personal.

“Safe” speaks for itself and may be the best All Time Low song to date. It’s the friend you go to when everything goes wrong but also the anthem you burn down the backroads blasting. It’s familiar, comfortable and every bit of the motivation to get you through. “You’re gonna be alright, just stop thinking it over.”

"January Gloom (Seasons Pt 1)" speaks to combating seasonal low points in life that can plague us from time to time but manages to turn a negative into a more optimistic approach. “Clumsy” musically will make you dance and forget that the lyrics are a reflection on how you may have wronged someone and serves as a giant apology. It’s a solid dance party but again, reflective.

“Glitter and Crimson” brings out the incredible vocal grit Gaskarth typically applies to the live show but it’s amplified in the bridge of this song, have a cough drop or honey on standby, you’ll be screaming the last 50 seconds at the top of your lungs.

“Summer Daze (Seasons pt 2)” has solid summer energy before a 1975-ish clean guitar intro. Admittedly the song is the band reflecting on their younger years with friends. (Keeping the fingers crossed for this one at Sad Summer Fest.) The bridge pays tribute to The Used’s “The Taste of Ink.” Singer Alex Gaskarth addressed the derivation on the band’s album livestream via Twitch, saying he got in contact with The Used singer Burt McCraken for permission, which McCraken granted.

“Basement Noise” is the ultimate reminiscing track. It puts you in the Dawson family basement where the band began and spent countless hours perfecting what’s become an incredible 17 year legacy thus far. The band has remained humble throughout their career. From small bars, opening for Blink 182, Green Day, headlining Wembley Arena and everything in between, All Time low admit they’re still just stupid boys making basement noise in the basement.

Stay connected with All Time Low with their livestreams via instagram and twitch.