On February 1st The Summer Set’s vocalist Brian Dales gushed in a blog over the admiration The Summer Set’s latest single had gotten in a matter of days. It was inevitable really since this was the first new material from the band since 2013’s ‘Legendary’. However what followed probably sent a lot of fans’ hearts sinking to their stomach, as Dales continued to call their upcoming fourth studio album ‘the album that nearly never was’. Though at the brink of parting ways last September The Summer Set have risen from their near-demise with ‘Stories For Monday’.
With already three pretty successful albums under their belt there’s no denying that you’ll be expecting three things from their long-awaited fourth album; catchy hooks, storytelling lyrics and dance-ready anthems. Luckily you’ll get all of this on ‘Stories For Monday’ but you’ll also get a whole lot more. For starters vocalist Brian Dales moves away from penning down his heartbreak and lost love and instead rejoices his past as more of a warming memory than a regret in tracks ‘Figure Me Out’ and ‘Missin’ You’.
Venturing into new territory ‘Jean Jacket’ conquers new horizons with the addition of a very The 1975-esque sax solo, giving the album (as well as the track) an unexpected maturity and whole new vibe for the band. Though not to fear that the party-ready quintet have abandoned their beloved sound which they’ve crafted over the years, The Summer Set revisit similar sounds heard on 2009’s ‘Love Like This’ and 2013’s ‘Legendary’ with big choruses on ‘When The Party Ends (Can’t Hardly Wait)’ and catchy gang vocals on ‘All My Friends’.
Though not without its blandest moments, ‘Stories For Monday’ takes a dip with ‘Wonder Years’. A ballad which shows a softer side to the album and a chance for listeners to catch a breath, but it does stutter the fluent pace created throughout the album so far. However on the plus side it does highlight that the quality of Dales as a songwriter hasn’t been substituted for an addictive alternative.
Evidently there’s a reoccurring message of positivity throughout the record and this is especially relevant to track ‘All Downhill From Here’ but even more so with record closer ‘Wasted’. The track (which has a slight resemblance to 2013’s ‘Rescue’) is a great insight to the youth of not only Dales but the entire band growing up in Arizona. The echoing of gang vocals along with drummer Jess Bowen sway-inducing percussion brings the closing of ‘Stories for Monday’ to a great high.
For an album that nearly wasn’t ‘Stories For Monday’ is a move away from living legendary and searching for fictional yellow umbrellas and a step towards reality. From Dales instantly ego-checking himself in ‘Figure Me Out’ to the festive and uplifting ‘Wasted’, ‘Stories For Monday’ may be more honest than usual but The Summer Set haven’t lost their enthusiasm which began with 2009’s ‘Love Like This’.
Produced by The Summer Set’s very own Stephen and John Gomez, ‘Stories For Monday’ may not demand all the attention in the room but it is a delightful reminder that we would have definitely missed The Summer Set in our lives if ‘Legendary’ was their swansong.
NICOLE TIERNAN