Ten years ago, hanging out in the high school parking lot, blaring music from the speakers of my buddy’s Crown Vic. That’s where teenage Justin was first introduced to a band called Taking Back Sunday and an album called “Tell All Your Friends”.
I listened to that CD on repeat that summer. (Remember CDs?)
I literally wore it out. (Remember how crappy CD-Rs were?)
The band’s eventual split lead to many Taking Back Sunday vs. Straylight Run conversations. The study of which I don’t think anyone was quite as interested in as I was. Lyrics were parsed for shots taken at each other. Riffs were critiqued. I may have barely scrapped by in Chem, but I knew this backwards and forwards.
Today I can’t even name the last few Taking Back Sunday albums. I made a point to listen to the last album since it was the reunion of the original members, but I don’ even think I finished it. It’s just not for me anymore.
Even listening to Tell All Your Friends now I’ve got to wince at some of the teenage poetry.
Except secretly that tiny little shadow of angst-y teenage Justin still kinda loves it.
Maybe it’s just impossible to separate my appreciation for the album from the nostalgia of remembering burning CDs, finishing Chem work in homeroom, and going to my friends show in some church’s basement (“The show starts at 8, but we’ll take the stage sometime between 10 and 11:30”).
Either way I’m giving it a special 10-year anniversary spin today and sporting a big ol’ grin on my face.
What is your pinnacle “high school album”? How’d you find it? Has any CD-R from 2002 survived? Let us know – or just make fun of my teenage musical tastes – in the comments.
“A thousand clever lines unread on clever napkins”
That, my friends, was some witty wordplay to a 16-year-old.
Don’t get me started on Brand New.