Another month, another band releasing a new album. Waterparks is a rock/pop-punk band from Houston, TX. I first learned about them and heard their music when they opened for All Time Low in 2016. Since then, I've been a big fan and tried to see them multiple times in concert, usually at smaller venues which is really fun. I was able to meet the band during the last Warped Tour, and that was a fun time too. It's one of the first time I've been able to follow a band from when they are smaller to now, where they are making bigger moves, playing bigger venues, and having their music play in more places than the internet.
Before I first found them they had 3 EPs out, but I'm going to start with the full albums instead, since Double Dare also is the first album I listened to.
Double Dare (2016) - Royal
So for one, I could listen to this whole album on repeat. I love pretty much all of the songs and its pretty rare for me to have an album where I don't skip anything. Royal is one of the first songs I heard Waterparks play when they opened for All Time Low, as well as Stupid For You, but this is the one that really stuck with me. Watching a band with 3 members and a singer with blue hair just having a great time. I really enjoy the lyrics to this song and upon learning more about the band knowing what the lyrics could mean.
"I wish I was royal but I'm not..."
Entertainment (2018) - Peach (Lobotomy)
This album, at the time it came out, meant a lot to me with stuff I was going through in my life. A lot of the songs lyrically hit really close to home and honestly many of them still mean a lot today. This song has a lot going for it lyrically which is one of the reasons it ended up on this list. Though, a close second is Rare, which is another great song from this album. This was apart of their more purple era, or well the singer had his hair purple during this touring cycle.
"The la-la-lobotomy has taken all of me, the la-la-lobotomy took all but you."
Fandom (2019) - High Definition
I feel like Fandom was an album where both the band found themselves and the sing became more comfortable with a lot of his vocal range. They also got better managers which helps a lot of the development of music. There are many songs on this CD that I like, but this one definitely hit me the hardest when I first did a listen through. I think there was a lot of growth in Awsten's writing with this album as well as some improvement in the music.
"But I'll just stay alone because alone is safer than with you."
Greatest Hits (2021) - You'd be paranoid too (if everyone was out to get you)
Rainbow haired Awsten is probably one of my favorite versions of Awsten, who does in fact change his hair with every album. Another lyrically really fun song. I think it says a lot about how fame and having a pretty young fanbase has impacted the band, especially Awsten. It talks a lot of having to pay attention to everything he says and feeling like everyone is always watching him. I think it shows a lot about "forgetting famous people are people too". I also really liked the addition of having Awsten talk really fast and almost rap in some of the more recent songs.
"Alone but surrounded. I'm breathing, I'm drowning."
Intellectual Property (2023) - Brainwashed
Now, this album isn't out yet. It's actually out tomorrow (April 14). So far I have really enjoyed the singles they've released from the album, some even more than Greatest Hits which had a few flops for me. Funeral Grey and Brainwashed have so far been songs I've been listening to on repeat. Brainwashed has a lot of clever lyrics, which as you've probably noticed are some of my favorite parts about Waterparks as a band. Plus, I'm learning Funeral Grey on guitar, which is an added bonus to it.
"Thinking you got me brainwashed."
I know pop-punk or pop-rock isn't everyone's cup of tea but these are some of my favorites if you want to get into the band!
What bands are forever favorites for you? Any favorite songs?
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