It can be painful, looking back at one’s youth and seeing one’s ideals lost in the struggle with reality. But it can also be fodder for excellent music, and Boston’s Choke Up have succeeded in dramatic fashion. Their latest full-length release, ‘Stormy Blue,’ is a concept album, retrospectively telling the tale of a young couple who steal a car and run away to build a better life together. The story takes some rough turns, as you might expect.

‘Borderland’ appears early in the saga, as our pair make their escape from all they hate. They imagine the life they plan to have, but they seem to know things won’t be as wonderful as they hope. The music is appropriately upbeat with gorgeous melodic lines and glorious sing-along parts, as the song lays out all the hopes and dreams of the kids at the outset of their journey. The brightness of the music matches the brightness the future seems to hold, before reality sets in.

The album shows a remarkable growth in Choke Up’s maturity, moving away from their previous focus on melodic post-hardcore and toward a subtler indie sound. ‘Borderland’ is a strong example of that maturity.