Tell me I'm Alive-All Time Low Album Review:

 

    All Time Low decided that Covid19 wasn’t going to stop them as they are back with their ninth album overall in “Tell Me I’m Alive” and their second in three years. Since they couldn’t tour for their last album “Wake up Sunshine” which was a success and really spoke to many of their fans like myself they kept making music. It is reported they wrote over 30 songs which 12 are on this new album and lead vocalist Alex Gaskarth and guitarist Jack Barakat stated that many of the album's themes, such as loneliness, were drawn from emotions and experiences they had witnessed during the pandemic. There are also many songs influenced by artists like Queen and Elton John plus it has their usual punk rock/pop sound and usual lyrical/strong vocal quality that has grown over the years for Alex. It is really hard to top your last album when it was perfectly timed over the pandemic with messages of depression and other elements that spoke so well to the fans that have/were experiencing those things especially then.

This album does prove they are back to making quality albums from top to bottom consecutively. The album that was made two albums ago was not much to be desired except for a few songs. All the tracks but one included all their punk sound as many tracks sound like previous songs they have done before.

The album starts off with the album name/one of the singles “Tell Me I’m Alive” has some keys in the sound which is a nice touch throughout the album and has their typical catchy lyrics that seem to be speaking to you. While their next single “Sleepwalking” which was released first and played on the radio stations has the vibes of a song that should be a single. It has a night club/party vibe to it but don’t worry it rocks out with the usual catchy lyrics that talk about missing/sleepless nights when his girl is gone.

Songs like “Modern Love”,” The Way you miss me” and “I’d be fine” all deal with the struggles of dating in this generation and him getting over a toxic bad relationship. The latter two are about hatred over her as he actually hates the way she misses him and he would be fine without her if you listen closely. It has really nice keys being played with catchy lyrics but rock out even if it is emotional. “Kill your vibe” is a real punk song that rocks like a typical punk song but still confusing if she is killing his vibe or he is or both. While “The other side” is one of the better songs that show he hasn’t moved on but she has and totally rocks/has catchy lyrics.

The worst song on this album is only the worst because it doesn’t sound like their sound as has a country singer taking turns with Alex on vocals in “New religion” even if the chorus is catchy. One critic unfavorably compared to it Maroon 5/Ed Sheeran which isn’t good, while “English blood/American heartache” is a real rocker especially at the start about trying to get over the girl.

The other four songs really stick like “Are you there?” which is about being lonely and nowhere to go for help or being scared to ask for help which is ok because he is there for her plus it has a rock edge to it. “The sound of letting go” again has really good lyrics where you can feel the emotions as we all have been there as these lyrics stand out “out of my head, out of my way….trying to find a way to rewind…start again” and “my mama said it gets better someday”. The other two tracks “Calm down” which is a slower pace of a song we all know being told to calm down doesn’t work even if they are right. While the last track “Lost along the way” is a good way to end a great album with a slow paced/emotional track that lets people know if we’re lost to ask for help-it really has good lyrics.

            ATL always seems to know what the generation is feeling when making these impactful emotional albums about their problems or even if it’s not their problems they get what is going inside one’s brain. Music is supposed to be a calming factor for all- going through tough or emotional times as it is sometimes an escape and their music has been that for their fans who really need it. They are definitely not sleepwalking through this album as it rocks out all the way and shows they are indeed alive you don’t have to tell them.