Album Review

The Wonder Years – The Upsides

• 21st Sep 2010

‘The Upsides’ is a truly uplifting album, written to inspire the pursuit of happiness among its listeners. The album sleeve insists: “everybody deserves a chance to be happy.” The amusing artwork features the band posing as hobos while a tenacious cartoon bird manages to see the upside of the most unfortunate circumstances, from breaking up to being mugged.

‘Logan Circle’ (and ‘Logan Circle: A New Hope,’ the gentler extended version) explains exactly how the band themselves turned their misery on its head to produce these songs; seeking solace in cereal and reminiscing with friends are reminders that life’s not so bad, ones we all identify with. ‘All My Friends Are in Bar Bands’ even showcases the band’s friendships with fellow pop-punkers Valencia and Title Fight, among others. ‘Hey Thanks’, with its simple hula-sound that builds in grandeur and passion, is the song you’ll wish you’d written for your best friend. Every track gives a reason to make the most of what you’ve got and to fight to see the upsides of your own life – even if you’re one of “The Socially Awkward” ‘This Party Sucks’ is dedicated to.

The gang choruses and harmonies (‘Melrose Diner’) reflect the kind of intra-band bonding that only comes from writing a record in a confined space and not stopping ‘til it’s the best it could be. The mirth at the beginning of the rousing ‘Dynamite Shovel (camp-fire version)’ sounds genuine, as honest as every heartfelt line uttered on this album.

TWY have analysed their own motivations and examined their miseries to make an album that will make you count your blessings. Powerful and significant, ‘The Upsides’ is much more than your average ‘alternative’ album – it’s the band’s greatest triumph to date.