After the generic garbage that was ‘Anywhere But Here’, Mayday Parade stepped up their game with the 2011 release of their self-titled album. Their sound was more defined than previous works, and there was a very “real” feeling to the album. After heading to a secluded beach-house to work on their follow up to ‘Mayday Parade’, the band has added another 12 songs to their discography.
After almost 4 months of listen-time, I’m happy to say that I’m officially OFF the fence about Mayday’s newest work, ‘Monsters in the Closet’. The album is a joy to listen to. It could be the flowing style in which the songs are penned, or the way lead vocalist Derek Sanders pulls you in with just one note that makes the album so good. In all honesty, the band has never sounded better.
Sure, songs like ‘Last night for a Table of two’ and ‘repent and repeat’ are a little off the beaten track for the band, but once you finally learn the words it’s hard to stop singing, even if that guy in the car next to you doesn’t seem to feel the same. It’s always great to see bands exploring new territory, even if it is a bit hard to listen to at first.
As always, there’s one or two songs to cut through your heartstrings with an emotional chainsaw. ‘Even robots need blankets‘ is in my opinion one of, if not the best song written by the band. With the simple but beautiful piano guiding you through, its hard not to have some feels. And the piano was recorded in a castle! How much more do you want?
The last track on the album, ‘Angels’, tells the all too familiar story of heart-break in the most incredible way possible. The harmonies, as always with Mayday’s two vocalists, are impeccable as Derek and drummer Jake sing;
“Now we all fall for the bad ones, they’ll just break us cause’ we’re so young, dumb and vulnerable.
Young and Vulnerable.”
It may take a few listens through the entire album, but ‘Monsters in the Closet’ is the most powerful Mayday release to date, demonstrating the bands strength in both the musical and lyrical departments. I’d highly recommend it for everyone who has a heart.
8.5/10
<Josh>
An Interest In Everything 