You're Welcome (A Day to Remember album) explained

You're Welcome
Type:studio
Artist:A Day to Remember
Cover:A Day to Remember You're Welcome Cover Art 2021.jpg
Alt:A man wearing a red shirt looking at red tracks to get inside a mirror. A valley is seen in the background. A brick house is crumbled. "You're Welcome" appears in red.
Recorded:2019–2020
Genre:
Length:46:21
Label:Fueled by Ramen
Producer:
Prev Title:Bad Vibrations
Prev Year:2016

You're Welcome is the seventh studio album by American rock band A Day to Remember. It was released on March 5, 2021, and is the band's first release under major label Fueled by Ramen after spending six years as an independent band after leaving and the eventual lawsuit against former label Victory Records. The album is also the first new release by the band in five years, marking the longest gap between two albums in their entire career. The album's producers include Colin Brittain, vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, Mike Green, Will Putney, and Dan Book.[2] It was preceded by five singles: "Degenerates", "Resentment", "Mindreader", "Brick Wall", and "Everything We Need". It is also the final album to feature founding bassist Josh Woodard before his departure in October 2021.

Composition

Musically, You're Welcome has been described as pop punk,[3] [4] [5] pop,[5] [6] pop rock,[5] [6] metalcore,[4] [5] and post-hardcore.[5] The album marks a significant departure from their metalcore/pop punk roots, with only a few songs falling within those genres as the album as a whole features more of a pop/pop rock sound.[6] In an interview with NME, the band's vocalist Jeremy McKinnon went in-depth with the album's sound, describing it as a "happier" record.[7]

In another interview with Kerrang!, McKinnon states that he wanted to take the "A Day to Remember sound" and "take on modern influences" with it. He also says that his love for the freedom and collaborative writing process found in EDM and rap resulted in the band getting together and throwing around ideas which resulted in the band demoing 42 songs. It got to the point to where some of the songs they wrote went from indie rock, to punk rock, to even "full tilt heavy". He would also talk about fan expectations and made it a goal to not stray too far from the band's core sound, with some songs ultimately being left out due to them wanting to push their sound in a way that "makes sense".[8]

Release and promotion

On June 14, 2019, EDM producer Marshmello released a collaboration track with the band titled "Rescue Me", marking A Day to Remember's first new release in three years.[9] On August 20, the band released the first single "Degenerates" alongside the announcement of the album as well as the band signing to Fueled by Ramen.[10] [11] It was eventually announced that the album would be released on November 15, 2019.[10]

On November 8, during a show at the House of Vans in London, it was announced that the album has been delayed until early 2020.[12] [13] The band's guitarist Kevin Skaff later explained it was due to the album's mixing and artwork not being completed.[14] A week after the album's original release date, the band released the single "Resentment".[15] [16] [17] On April 15, 2020, the band released "Mindreader" alongside an animated music video.[18] [19] [20] On November 18, one year after the album's original release date, the band released "Brick Wall" as well as revealing the album's artwork, tracklist, and release date for the album.[21] [22] [23] On January 27, 2021, the album's fifth single, "Everything We Need" was released.[24] On March 10, a music video was released for the album's fifth single "Everything We Need".[5] [25] On December 16, the band released a music video for the song "Last Chance to Dance (Bad Friend)".[26]

Critical reception

NME called the album a "mish-mash of sounds and moany lyrics," and also stated that "there are more misses than hits here, as A Day To Remember struggle to work out who their band should be in 2021." Wall of Sound rated You're Welcome 5.5/10, feeling that the band changed their style simultaneously too drastically and quickly and likening it to Thirty Seconds to Mars' stylistic changes between A Beautiful Lie (2005) and This Is War (2009). He summarized that You're Welcome "..had so much potential for [the band] to deliver new sounds and styles that’d unite fans together. Unfortunately, it comes across like a forced, rush job..." Sam Law echoed these sentiments throughout his review for Kerrang!, remarking that the album was "slick but insubstantial".

In a more positive review, Riff Magazines Mike DeWald praised the album for its maturity and adaptability to many different styles, concluding that "those looking for only heavy guitar riffs and screaming aggression may want to look elsewhere, but those willing to take a musical journey will be rewarded."

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[27]

A Day to Remember

Additional musicians

Additional personnel

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Position
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[28] 100

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A Day to Remember Announce "Live At The Audio Compound" Acoustic Livestream Event. Sidestage. January 22, 2021.
  2. Web site: Emily Carter. A Day To Remember's New Album Is The Soundtrack To These Dark Times. Kerrang!. April 30, 2020. November 22, 2020.
  3. News: Album Review: A Day To Remember flip the script on mature 'You're Welcome'. Mike DeWald. Riff Magazine. March 4, 2021. March 5, 2021.
  4. News: A Day to Remember's Jeremy McKinnon on You're Welcome, the State of Metalcore, and More. Anne Erickson. Consequence of Sound. March 5, 2021. March 6, 2021.
  5. News: A Day To Remember Shares 'Everything We Need' Music Video. Blabbermouth.net. March 11, 2021. March 13, 2021.
  6. Web site: Album Review: A Day To Remember – You're Welcome. Joe Loughran. Bring the Noise. March 5, 2021. March 5, 2021.
  7. Web site: A Day To Remember on new album 'You're Welcome': "We didn't make you wait for no fucking reason". NME. 4 May 2020 . November 21, 2020.
  8. Web site: Why A Day To Remember's New Album Is Their Most Creative Yet. Kerrang!. 13 September 2019 . November 21, 2020.
  9. Web site: A Day To Remember Drop Collaboration With Marshmello Called 'Rescue Me'. June 13, 2019. Wall Of Sound. en-US. November 22, 2020.
  10. Web site: Spencer Kaufman. A Day To Remember drop new song "Degenerates": Stream. August 20, 2019. Consequence of Sound. November 22, 2020.
  11. Web site: Brii Jamieson. A Day To Remember Are Dropping New Track 'Degenerates' Today. August 20, 2019. Rock Sound. November 23, 2020. October 27, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027212937/https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/a-day-to-remember-are-dropping-new-track-degenerates-today. dead.
  12. Web site: A Day To Remember Delay New Album "You're Welcome" To 2020. ThePRP. November 22, 2020. November 8, 2019.
  13. Web site: Greenwood . Koltan . A Day to Remember postpone new album 'You're Welcome' a week out . . November 22, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191110111841/https://www.altpress.com/news/day-to-remember-adtr-youre-welcome-delay-new-album/ . November 10, 2019 . November 8, 2019.
  14. Web site: A Day to Remember Guitarist Explains New Album Delay. Blabbermouth. November 22, 2020. November 27, 2019.
  15. Web site: Listen To A Day To Remember's Explosive New Single, Resentment. November 22, 2019. Kerrang!. November 22, 2020.
  16. Web site: Mackenzie Templeton. A Day To Remember show "Resentment" in powerful new song. November 22, 2019. Alternative Press. November 22, 2020.
  17. Web site: A Day to Remember Releases Music Video For New Song, 'Resentment'. November 22, 2019. Blabbermouth.net. November 22, 2020.
  18. Web site: A Day To Remember Drop New Song 'Mindreader'. 15 April 2020 . Wall of Sound. November 21, 2020.
  19. Web site: Joe Smith-Engelhardt. Watch A Day To Remember get animated for a battle with a "Mindreader". April 15, 2020. Alternative Press. November 22, 2020.
  20. Web site: Tom Skinner. Watch A Day To Remember's sinister, animated video for new song 'Mindreader'. April 15, 2020. NME. November 22, 2020.
  21. Web site: A Day To Remember Unleash New Single Brick Wall; Announce Album Release Date, Tracklist. Kerrang!. November 18, 2020.
  22. Web site: Elizabeth Aubrey. Listen to A Day To Remember's new single 'Brick Wall' from new album 'You're Welcome'. November 18, 2020. NME. November 22, 2020.
  23. Web site: Spencer Kaufman. A Day to Remember Announce New Album You're Welcome, Unleash Single "Brick Wall": Stream. November 18, 2020. Consequence of Sound. November 22, 2020.
  24. Web site: Rachael Dowd. A Day To Remember unveil new song "Everything We Need". January 26, 2021. Alternative Press. January 27, 2021.
  25. Web site: Josh Johnson. Watch A Day to Remember's new video for "Everything We Need" single. March 10, 2021. ABC News Radio. March 10, 2021. March 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210311175842/http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2021/3/10/watch-a-day-to-remembers-new-video-for-everything-we-need-si.html. dead.
  26. Web site: A Day To Remember Release Music Video For "Last Chance To Dance (Bad Friend)" & It Features The Grim Reaper. December 16, 2021. Music Mayhem Magazine. en-US. December 16, 2021.
  27. Web site: Credits / You're Welcome / A Day to Remember . . March 13, 2021 . March 13, 2021.
  28. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 8, 2021.