The Summer Set are back and better than ever with their newest album Blossom, marking the 5th studio album for the band and first album in 6 years. If you are a fan of pop punk from the mid 2000’s you probably remember The Summer Set, I’ve called them one of the biggest bands to never blow up. The announcement of their hiatus, and subsequent return made me sad, and super excited respectively. Blossom is here to serve as a reminder to listeners of how good they are, and an introduction to new listeners as to their ability.

Kicking off the album with The Color of Everything (intro) is a beautiful light intro into the album. The words “I want to see the color of everything” while simple, carry a heavy message and reminder to step out of the darkness and look at the world around you, take in the beauty of life.

Street Lightning is the listener’s introduction into an up beat and up tempo dance party. Vocalist Brian Dales begins to showcase the range and power of his vocal ability throughout the song. This was a single released prior to the album and saw very warm reception from fans.

Coming in next is My Own Medicine. This track is one that I think is going to be a sleeper on the album. Initially it may be overlooked but is going to be a track that fans come back to and connect with on a deeper level.

Teenagers ft Against The Current hits listeners with a guest spot. The vocals of Chrissy Costanza compliment Brian’s very well, and it also adds a bit of a fun meshing of generations in the scene. The song talks about having fond memories of being younger and more carefree, but also the necessity of maturing and growing as a person.

Then we get FTS ft. Travie McCoy. There is so much to say about this track, to start with it is likely to become the anthem of the whole fanbase. Sonically the track is a relatively mellow vibe and just kind of has a steady groove and flow that is easy to get into, and features a saxophone which should be featured more in the genre. Cue Travie coming in with his verse, and dropping some of the most powerful lyrics, “First off you can shut your motherfucking mouth; And let me tell you what my life's been all about”. While some people may seem this as aggressive it is a great reminder that sometimes you need to tell people to stop talking about you because they don’t know your story or battles. Travie goes on to say “2020 had me balled up in a fetal; But thank God I ain't fall back to that needle”. The track is really about just trying to live your life even when people around you are trying to pull you down, and having the mentality to say “Fuck that shit”.

Another track that is going to be a fan favorite, especially when played live, will be Hard Candy. This track is fun and easy to get into. The track talks about the feeling of infatuation with someone that you know isn’t the best thing for you, but there is still something there that keeps drawing you back.

Famous hits the listener with a lyrical gut check. That feeling that everyone around you is moving on and winning in their life and you’re stuck and passed by. “All of my friends are getting famous, but I couldn’t fake it even if I tried” is such a strong sentiment of how in this world of social media it is easy to get lost and caught up in chasing clout, likes, and empty admiration. You may see your friends getting tons of likes on Instagram, while you feel like you are struggling.

Closing out the album is Back Together is a really somber song, and story about how Brian felt during the hiatus and asking the band to get back together. As the first single released upon returning from the hiatus fans have grabbed onto this song deeply. It also serves as a great reminder that reaching out and trying to repair relationships is ok, and encouraged. “Just incase we don’t live forever let’s get the band back together” is a call to action to mend the relationships that matter, and get your “band” back together.

“By definition, Blossom means ‘to mature or develop in a promising or healthy way.’ So, that’s what we did,” says vocalist Brian Logan Dales. “We had to go our separate ways as a band for a few years so we could all bloom into the people we’ve become today. This is an album about growth and togetherness. About letting go of the past and looking forward to the future.”

As an “old” fan of The Summer Set I can tell you this album sparked a hope in me that there is a lot of new music left in them, more stories to be told, and memories to be made. Sonically there are obvious differences between Blossom and their prior album Stories For Monday and much different than what many consider their peak album Legendary, but what this album does is hit the restart for the band. This collection of songs features a little something for everyone, and shows the band is ready to move forward again and start to win over crowds again.

Blossom Tracklist

1. The Color Of Everything (Intro)

2. Street Lightning

3. My Own Medicine

4. Teenagers (feat. Against The Current)

5. FTS (feat.Travie McCoy)

6. Hard Candy

7. Famous

8. Back Together

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