Career Day
Photo Cred 📷 : @bobbograph
Career Day calls Queens, New York home and you can hear it in their sound. The busyness of the streets, the shuffling of pedestrians, careening bike messengers and blossoming young lovers, all nebulously tied to the tangled network of social and societal issues that make the universe of New York City so complex and alive. It’s in their newest album “Where We’ve Always Been” that the band observes, confronts and even tackles these intricacies.
Conceptually, the opener “Views From the 516” sets the tone for the album, as lyrics of redlining, crooked school boards and falsely advertised suburban paradise soar amongst anthemic Emo-Punk riffs, like if The Junior Varsity crooned about classwars with fuzzy cutting guitars rifling along to a thunking drum section. “No Problem” noodles and buzzes with a rattling bassline, recalling moments of casual racism amongst a friendship dissolving. “It Never Ends” cries afoul of limp-dicked liberalism asking what are we really doing here as the unchanging environment carries on. Tracks “A New Title”, “Opposite Way”, “If Only” and “Enough Pictures” runs the gamut of nectariously sweet love songs to the mourning of time passed and gratitude ungiven.
My personal favorite track “Party’s Over” noodles in before erupting into cascading guitar work as a catchy, bouncy bass riff over colossal drumming like a clenched fist waiting to be sunk in the puckered smirk of eliteness itself. “Thanks For Listening” points but does not look through the fourth wall of the albums narrative, a rollicking and melodic gaze outward to what allyship and solidarity realistically look and feel like. Being impassioned about what ails us culturally and sharing it with a sympathetic ear is important, but when they aren’t in the streets with you, it's hard not to wonder what you yourself are even doing anymore. “21,000 Questions” is absolutely my kind of closer. Arena sized riffs ricochet off of massive drumwork with lyrics reminding us of the love that awaits us and saves us at the end of every day.
An album like “Where We’ve Always Been” is one that catches you off guard with its lyricism when music like this is typically more introspective or even irreverent. Pop glazed Emo-Punk needs more of these realms of thought in them and we are very glad to have a band like Career Day championing that banner.
Check out their Bandcamp here : Career Day
Writer : @letsgetpivotal
Editor : @just_reidz
10/17/22
