Does ADTR’s ‘You’re Welcome’ Have Fans Saying “Thank You”

This past March, A Day To Remember finally released their long-anticipated album “You’re Welcome”. The band had pushed the release date back several times due to complications and refining the music, and made fans desperate for a follow up to 2016’s “Bad Vibrations.”

After a lot of mixed response from fans regarding the quality of their singles, many began worrying about the strength of the new album and if it would be worthy of being called an A Day To Remember record. Many people had concerns that it would be too “poppy” and watered down compared to the past albums, due to the outlying single “Degenerates.”

The singles that followed were a bit relieving to fans because it felt as if ADTR were actually listening to what fans have been wanting out of this new record since the tracks were catchy and even a bit on the heavy side. Was the relief premature?

Well for those of you who read my reviews regularly, you may have noticed I like to spend time with the album before I give it my verdict. See how it works in the background of my every day life; it allows me to form a real relationship with it. With that being said, I really was disappointed with the album upon first listen, probably because I was forcing myself to analyze it too deeply and compared it too much to the past. I felt the songs were a bit weak when just about every introduction was soft and more pop than punk.

Now the reason I never like to give my initial reaction is because I knew this album would grow on me. I’ve been a diehard fan of this band since I was young and that requires me to understand that they are also very strong in the pop-rock realm. This album really shows that off in an excellent way.

Simply put: “For Those Who Have Heart” showcases what the band can do when they want to be brutal and taken seriously, and “You’re Welcome” is a prime example of what the band can do when they want to relax and have a bit of fun.

The record is extremely catchy and every song has something special about it that makes it flow immaculately. This album is an evolutionary step for the band and for that I appreciate it and really enjoy what they’ve been working on for the past three years. I find myself revisiting the tracks just about every time I open Spotify, and that’s gotta mean something.

What I like about the album is that our boys from Florida sound like they’re in a better place in life compared to past releases. I may be incorrect, but that’s just what I’ve gathered, The vibe is overall different and more sing-a-long than usual— especially that beautiful chorus from ‘FYM.’

I adore all of the singles they put out while wrapping up the logistics of the album, but my favorites from release day are definitely ‘Last Chance to Dance’ and ‘Permanent.’ I won’t dive too deep into Last Chance because you’ll understand completely when you hear it, but Permanent has one of the best melodies that have come from ADTR. The song feels so energetic and reminds me of past tracks like “Best of Me” and “Out of Time.”

I know there’s a lot of people in the community that will strongly disagree with what I’m saying but I know there are even more people who see where the band is coming from and know that the poppy side of A Day To Remember is actually a blessing rather than a curse. I encourage these people to give the album more time in their lives and see how it gets along with their discography and your music-listening routine. That’s when you’ll really appreciate it.

-Luke Brooks @luckylukephotos