THE STORY SO FAR "I WANT TO DISAPPEAR" ALBUM REVIEW!
The Story So Far have released their fifth studio album I Want To Disappear via Pure Noise Records. Produced by Jon Markson (Drug Church, KOYO), the album features previously-released singles “Big Blind”, “Letterman”, and “All This Time” alongside seven brand new The Story So Far tracks. I Want To Disappear comes nearly six years after the band’s previous album Proper Dose, which debuted at #19 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In a candid interview with Rolling Stone, vocalist Parker Cannon opened up about the death of his father and how that experience impacted his writing process, “He was music to me. When he left, it was really difficult for me to push forward and do it again. [...] The big thing was learning how to channel grief in terms of writing about it - there were so many first drafts of these songs that will never see the light of day.”
Alongside the announcement, The Story So Far has unveiled a new music video for the track “Watch You Go”. This nostalgic track embodies everything that fans have grown to know and love about The Story So Far. The accompanying music video is full of moments from previous tours, highlighting their connection to their audience while giving viewers an insight into what happens in between shows. The music video for “Watch You Go” is available to watch now below!
Say whatever you want about The Story So Far but it is undoubtable that the band knows how to write a record that draws you in. You might not identify with every track, but at least one song from the record pulls at your heartstrings and either takes you to a place of nostalgia, heartbreak, euphoria, love or all of the above.
The Story So Far's latest album I WANT TO DISAPPEAR via Pure Noise Records is by far my favorite album thus far, of the year, hands down. As a close friend of mine, Jody Graves pointed out while listening to previous singles Big Blind, Letterman, and All This Time: "the album is in the sound of Proper Dose (TSSF's previous album) while. in the style of No Pressure (frontman Parker Cannon's side project). And I can't help but get that mantra out. of my head. The album is raw and vulnerable yet nasty and mysterious at the same time.
The almost double-entendre writing aspect of this record is so amazing. Reading Parker Cannon's interview with Rolling Stone and realizing that a lot of the lyrical inspiration came from him losing his father, and trying to channel all of that in, coupled with the idea that from an outside perspective of someone who didn't know that, could interpret these songs as heartbreak in a relationship is the sheer genius of this band's writing ability.
Opening track and previously released single "All This Time" drop bombs for lyrics in the first breath of the song with- "All this time you've just been counting down, making plans for when you're not around" and brings anyone who has ever had their heart broken down to their knees to the instantly relatable chorus of a relationship gone rogue "So just say you want out, and we can stop all this pain now."
The newest single which dropped with this record "Watch You Go" blasts off like a bat out of hell at the end of All This Time and even catches you off guard in your feels with pre-chorus lyrics "I get it if you hate me, I'm barely here lately. Distant and lazy, lacking motivation." There used to be a pop-punk meme of Peter Griffin from Family Guy holding the "What You Don't See" album crying, saying "Who hurt you Parker Cannon?!" and I feel the same about this record.
Where the No Pressure vibe really starts to shine through is track 3's "Letterman". It's so laid back, a nice departure from the hard-hitting first two tracks, yet still emotional and raw. The 3-minute tune even sonically sounds like an early TSSF track or something that No Pressure has released with the way the drums were cut, the harmonies, and Parker's voice singing in a lower register with higher harmonies drifted off overtop of his main vocal line.
I love how each song transitions right into each other almost as if the entire record is telling a story. "Jump the Gun" continues this story. The lyrics "I don't want to say I want you, Just could as easily forget..." brings me back to one of the most toxic relationships in my life and is a hard hitter for anyone currently going through a tough breakup or rocky relationship.
From the first time I heard the first single from I Want To Disappear, "Big Blind", I knew that this album was going to be a huge departure from any of their previous works, and I feel like. I was right yet so wrong. It's so familiar yet not. It's almost like deja' vu', or deja' entuendo I can't quite put my finger on it. Track 6's "Nothing To Say" has big-time What You Don't See vibes with vibes of tracks like Things I Can't Change, Empty Space, and All Wrong from that album.
Keep You Around only further provides evidence of this catastrophic relationship on the brink of destruction with chorus lyrics of breaking up (or at least that's what it feels like) with: "How will I get through this? Shield myself in the color of your likeness. How am I still new to this? Cover myself in the shade where I spread your ashes." The mellow track is so aggressive but feels like a power-pop ballad almost, with its driving chorus straightforward verses, and melodic guitar riffs. You're Still In My Way is a song that I can definitely hear them playing live. One that the entire crowd can jump up and down to and scream out the lyrics "For how long is this never ending, Are you gone? or can I still feel something?".
The last two tracks on the album feel like the ending of a movie, as earlier stated when the record feels like a story being told of a relationship gone rogue. It's definitely one of the saddest tracks on the album "Take me with you now, beyond the veil on white shores, now it's difficult to move, I can't help but think of where you are" almost feels like death or loss, and if you've experienced either in your life you can definitely relate to the track White Shores.
The final and title track of the album "I Want To Disappear", is definitely the "Clarvoyant" or "Navy Blue" of the album. It's the perfect closer to the perfect album. It's the most raw and just acoustic and vocals. The closing lyrics of the song bring closure to the entire record's uncertainty of the protagonist's struggles throughout the record with the proverbial "happy ending" with the lyrics "Cause now I'm sure that I love you".
To fully appreciate I Want To Disappear, You have to listen to this album twice. Once going into it as someone who has had their heart broken in a relationship and then all over again as someone who has ever lost a loved one.
The Story So Far feels like they wrote this album intending to tell a story, each track being a different chapter. This entire record the first time through feels like a relationship on the outs with the protagonist of the entire record coming to grips with a relationship in turmoil, a relationship on life support that they are desperately doing whatever they can to keep it alive and in the end, end up putting their anxiety and insecurities aside to be together or move on. Yet, the second time through you can listen to this album as a person who is definitely grieving. I Want To Disappear feels like a dedicated "Thank You" letter to Parker Cannon's late father thanking him for all that he has done, as he stated that his father "was music to him". and that it was "really difficult to push forward and do it (music) again", after. his passing. However you decide to interpret this album, know that it was made with the most heart and love.
I Want To Disappear is available to stream and purchase now. Check out The Story So Far on tour this summer with A Day To Remember!
Check out The Story So Far's latest single "WATCH YOU GO", tour dates, and more below!
Upcoming The Story So Far Tour Dates
The Story So Far is currently on the road with A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, Militarie Gun, Pain Of Truth, and Scowl. Tickets for all remaining dates are on sale now at https://thestorysofarca.com/#TOUR
Upcoming The Story So Far Tour Dates
June 21 – Atlantic City, NJ – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena*
June 22 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Carrie Furnace - Four Chord Music Festival !
June 23 – Scranton, PA – The Pavilion at Montage Mountain*
June 25 – Baltimore, MD – Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena#
June 26 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center#
June 28 – Boston, MA – The Stage at Suffolk Downs#
June 29 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford Health Care Amphitheatre#
June 30 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion#
July 2 – Raleigh, NC – The Red Hat Amphitheater#
July 3 – Simpsonville, SC – CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park#
July 5 – Dallas, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory#
July 6 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Grand Theater#
July 7 – San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum#
July 9 – Albuquerque, NM – Rio Rancho Events Center^
July 10 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamon Arena^
July 12 – Oakland, CA – Oakland Arena^
July 14 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds^
July 15 – Seattle, WA – WAMU^
July 18 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum^
July 19 – San Diego, CA – PetCo Park^
July 21 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre^
July 22 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre^
July 24 – La Vista, NE – The Astro Amphitheater^
July 25 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island^
July 26 – Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom^
July 28 – Nashville, TN – Municipal Auditorium^
! Festival performance
* with A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, and Militarie Gun
# with A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, and Pain Of Truth
^ with A Day To Remember, Four Year Strong, and Scowl
I Want To Disappear Tracklist
1. All This Time
2. Watch You Go
3. Letterman
4. Jump The Gun
5. Big Blind
6. Nothing To Say
7. Keep You Around
8. You’re Still in My Way
9. White Shores
10. I Want To Disappear
I Want To Disappear is available to stream and purchase now at https://lnk.to/TheStorySoFar
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