All Time Low is back with their 10th album “Everyone’s Talking” their first in two years. The album was preceded by five singles, “Suckerpunch”, “The Weather”, “Oh No!”, “Butterflies”, and “Sugar”. It starts with nice acoustic vocals labeled as “Cold Open” where they said it is a one and kind and previews the album. There is another emotionally short acoustic song called “Goodnight, C’est La Vie” about the theme of that’s life.
The track title “Everyone’s Talking” is about the false claims they are fighting in court over defamation. That people are talking about them but not to their faces and it was getting old. It is a nice way to really start the album with a nice rock song and typical catchy chorus. It is followed by another song that rocks out with a catchy chorus which was previously released in “Suckerpunch“. The best thing is that it sounds like their typical sound so take your best shot they say.
It then switches to more emotional tracks like “Oh No!” another previously released song. It tackles the struggles of self-worth to themselves or others as they are heartbroken or sad about the previous relationship they were in. They question, is everything worth what they have been through and it rocks out as well. It then goes into another song about post-breakup with their ex that they do not want to have small talk like “how is the weather” which is perfectly named “The Weather”. It has that catchy chorus and rocks out. It keeps the theme of his post-break up world in “Falling for Strangers” where strangers keep reminding him of his ex. It also really sounds like an older song of theirs as it nails their style.
The next tracks are all about him still being addicted to his love for his ex, and tries to fill the void with different vices like drugs, booze, flings and nightlife. That doing those things are better than having negative thoughts of heartbreak/suicidal thoughts, like him going to Las Vegas in the track “Viva Las Vagus Nerve”. Another previously released song featuring JoJo called “Sugar” repeats the narrative of drugs filling the void or his love for his ex is addicting like sugar that he cannot get enough of it. “Bubblegum” is very fast paced, with a dark angry tone to it where his love with his ex is like a very addicting drug that he doesn’t care how bad it is (getting chewed up and spit out). It is followed up by “Little Bit” another fast paced, drug related, loud, screaming the verses that aren’t that good but has a great punk rock sound to it with a good chorus. It keeps going with another fasted paced song “Cigarettes & Sabotage” which is also about addiction/drugs but mentions how he wants cigarettes but it is sabotaging his life, where is the help?
One of the most emotional songs “Tread Water” definitely rocks out even if it has a little country to it with Ruston Kelly featured. It is about how he can stay afloat from all the sadness happening where he feels like he is drowning. It is followed up by “Different Languages” which really goes into the emotional turmoil of his past relationship. He didn’t think it would end this soon because they made them better in different ways as they were building it up. It ends with “Butterflies” another previously released song which he could be realizing “What is the point of holding onto the relationship if it is over?” That it might have been a transactional relationship and there is this hope for him to find closure and that he should move on, not hold on.
Alex Gaskarth and ATL keep churning out quality rock albums in the pop-punk world and have grown with the times. They have gone from high school-young adult years to maturing over time with themes of heartbreak and different perspectives as they age. Tackling life struggles like addiction, real heartbreak and mental health issues that affect many out there. Their music keeps being relatable as they and their fan age and the hope is everyone will be talking about them positively now and forever.