July 22, 2003 was one of my favorite album release days of all time. Over the years I’ve collected many versions of these two albums, and they remain two of my favorite albums, ever. What I wrote in 2018:

On July 22nd, 2003 both Yellowcard’s ‘Ocean Avenue’ and Thrice’s ‘The Artist in the Ambulance’ were released. I was home between my sophomore and junior year of college and both albums imprinted on me like few ever have. Driving around my hometown, seeing old friends, reigniting old flames, these two albums became a part of my summer. AbsolutePunk.net was just becoming something I thought I wanted to do with my life and much of what that website would become was created with these two albums as the soundtrack. I was still very much trying to figure out who I was as a person, and these albums felt like a foothold of hope on the future. Watching Yellowcard’s meteoric rise, a bunch of kids that felt almost like peers, gave me a boost of confidence during a time I needed to think things could get better. The world was changing, my world was changing.

15 years later that summer remains one of the best of my life. The friendships made, the hearts broken, the speakers blown out, it all feels like a moment frozen in time. An idealized summer that probably wasn’t nearly what I’ve made up in my mind all these years later. But I hold it dear nonetheless. And when I put on ‘Ocean Avenue’, and hear “Back Home,” I’m transported back 15 years ago when that song meant everything to me. A rallying call for what my life was and a romanticized version for what I wanted it to be. And that feeling of home intersplices with the intensity of Thrice’s ‘The Artist in the Ambulance,’ an album I used as an outlet for my anger at the world, at the war, at myself and all the chaos that felt just beyond the borders of my hometown. Two sides of me dueling it out through two albums released on the same day, during the same summer.

So, here’s to you July 22nd, 2003. I’ll always remember you fondly.

I shared an article on the website today that talks about why music tastes solidify in our youth and we return to the music of our teens through thirties for basically the rest of our lives. I (obviously) still seek out new music on a weekly basis and love nothing more than discovering a new favorite band, but there is something so comforting about returning to an old musical friend. One of my pet theories is those summer albums you spent your late teens blasting in the car right after getting your license find an even deeper way into your heart. Summer break, that first taste of (relative) freedom, and nothing to do but drive around trying to blow out your speakers. Boys Like Girls’ debut is one of those albums for me. It’s always screamed of summer and ushering in sunny days and warm evenings. Not surprisingly, Martin’s songwriting has continued to stick with me all these years later. (Do not sleep on those Night Game albums.)

Anyway, here’s to growing up and still spinning our youthful faves. And here’s to summer 2024.

#vinyl

The weather is starting to turn here in Portland. You can feel it in the city. People are starting to spend more time in the park across the street, the temperature is creeping upward, and this week has been ideal to break out this pop-punk gem from last year. Reminding me of the best parts of Sum-41 and early Blink-182, with a fresh youthful perspective, this is easily one of my favorite pop-punk releases in a long time. A worthy addition to not only one of my favorite genres, but my favorite summer albums playlist as well. (And once I saw this t-shirt I knew I had to order it. Could that be anymore me?)