Sep 15, 2021

HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS "THE RAIN JUST FOLLOWS ME" ALBUM REVIEW

Pop-punk quartet Hawthorne Heights have recently released their latest studio album The Rain Just Follows Me via Pure Noise Records.

THE RAIN JUST FOLLOWS ME produced by Grammy-winner Cameron Webb (Alkaline Trio, NOFX, Megadeth) is HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS eighth full-length studio album in their 20-year run as a band as well as their sophomore full-length album under Pure Noise Records.

Hawthorne Heights has come a long way since their humble Ohio beginnings, with their first two studio albums bringing them immediate commercial success and over the years have overcome tragedy, line-up and label changes all while still staying true to their sound and fans.

THE RAIN JUST FOLLOWS ME wastes no time getting off the ground with the opening track and debut single CONSTANT DREAD which features fellow labelmate Brendan Murphy of the band Counterparts. The post-hardcore track has a catchy, fresh, new modern sound with one of the catchiest choruses I've heard all year: "All our curses go away, washed out by a wave. (Such constant dread). All our curses go away, there's nothing left to save. (I'm better off dead)"

The album takes it back to the band's more indie-rock sound with the title track "THE RAIN JUST FOLLOWS ME" reminiscent of a handful of tracks from their 2010 album Skeletons, i.e. "Unforgiveable" and "Here I Am". Always unpredictable with Hawthorne Heights, this rollercoaster of an album keeps the same pace but gets heavier with the tracks like DULL HEADLIGHTS, PALM CANYON DRIVE, and HOLY COAST. The three tracks show off the band's ability to transition flawlessly in dynamics from an alt-rock sound to an indie rock feel and back all the while singing and sometimes screaming along.

Track and newest single, TIRED AND ALONE is a straight-up pop-punk, feel-good song all around while balancing that post-hardcore sound with sprinkles of sporadic hardcore/screaming vocals which somehow hauntingly reminds me of old school AFI with the back half of the song forcing you to subconsciously chant "I'm Tired, I'm Tired, I'm Tired and Alone" which was pretty much the entire theme of the year 2020.

Songs like THUNDER IN OUR HEARTS and BAMBARRA BEACH are the definitions of "expect the unexpected" with the dynamics taking you through more loops than a Sonic The Hedgehog game. Screaming vocals and heavy guitar riffs that break off out of nowhere into clean guitar sounds while other times clean guitar and heavy-hitting drums go together so well in an unorthodox combination like peanut butter and bacon on a cheeseburger (seriously try it), while at other times during the tracks, the songs are just straight-forward as a pallet cleanser to the "what the hell did I just experience" moments.

Speaking of pallet-cleanser, my favorite track, SEAFOAM (featuring William Ryan Key of Yellowcard) is exactly that, sitting on the back half of the album with all of the bells and whistles of the perfect straight-forward pop-punk song. Whereas songs like PALM CANYON DRIVE (second favorite track), and WORDS CAN'T HURT have that indie-rock meets modern pop-punk sound that shows that Hawthorne Heights will always be a band that's not afraid of innovation and new creatvity.

THE RAIN JUST FOLLOWS ME in my opinion is the best album to listen to if you're just getting into Hawthorne Heights but will still give any old HH fan nostalgia while showing them something new. It's got over 20 years of the band's heart and soul packed into 11-tracks and gives you the best the band has to offer from their very diverse musical pallet from their emo and indie rock sound to their post-hardcore and pop-punk notoriety.

THE RAIN JUST FOLLOWS ME is OUT NOW via PURE NOISE RECORDS. Hawthorne Heights are currently on tour with Bayside, Senses Fail, and The Bombpops on the 21 Years of Bad Luck Tour.

Check out Hawthorne Heights latest track "Tired and Alone" as well as tracklisting for "The Rain Just Follows Me" and tour dates below.

The Rain Just Follows Me Track List

1. Constant Dread

2. The Rain Just Follows Me

3. Holy Coast

4. Tired And Alone

5. Thunder In Our Hearts

6. Spray Paint It Black

7. Dull Headlights

8. Palm Canyon Drive

9. Seafoam

10. Words Can't Hurt

11. Bambarra Beach (The End)

The Rain Just Follows Me can be ordered at https://smarturl.it/hawthorneheightsoh

Hawthorne Heights are currently on the road with Bayside, Senses Fail and The Bombpops on the 21 Years of Bad Luck Tour. A full list of tour dates are available below with tickets are on sale now at: https://hawthorneheights.com/tour/

Upcoming Tour Dates

August 31 - New Brookland Tavern - Columbia, SC*

September 1 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC

September 2 - Rams Head Live! - Baltimore, MD

September 3 - Franklin Music Hall - Philadelphia, PA

September 4 - Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ

September 5 - House of Blues Boston - Boston, MA

September 7 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY

September 8 - Buffalo Riverworks - Buffalo, NY

September 9 - Spirit Hall - Pittsburgh, PA*

September 10 - Agora Theater and Ballroom - Cleveland, OH

September 11 - Brooklyn Bowl Nashville - Nashville, TN