Waterparks
Waterparks is a three-man pop-punk act from Los Angeles. The band consists of frontman Awsten Knight, drummer Otto Wood, and guitarist Geoff Wigington. They’ve been moving in a new direction since their third album Entertainment dropped, and their new sound culminates on their most recent album FANDOM. Waterparks was formed as a test tube band by Equal Vision Records in 2011, and following some tweaks to their lineup, released their first LP in 2012. They recently parted ways with Equal Vision and joined Hopeless Records due to creative differences and a lack of artistic license over their own music. Since their release of FANDOM on October 11, They’ve been releasing mashups of all the songs on the albums they released on Equal Vision, so far putting out “Entertainment 2019“and “Double Dare 2019.”
FANDOM
Waterparks’ album Entertainment was written almost entirely as a love letter to the girlfriend Awsten had at the time. FANDOM was written as a breakup text. It opens with the song “Cherry Red.” It includes light synths and soaring guitar which make for a powerful opening track.
Second, is “Watch What Happens Next“; a song which I didn’t like at first, but that has grown to be my personal favorite. The song includes a catchy and impressive yet not obnoxious main riff. The riff is fun to play, evolves interestingly during the bridge, and builds the foundation for a solid tune. The lyrics probe reflections of Vanity and humility, asking why Awsten cannot wish to make money from his art. The line “can I try new sounds? / Go fuck yourself” during the bridge is my personal favorite. It displays the unwillingness of certain members of the Pop-Punk Scene to adopt changes in popular sound, and their unwillingness to bend to an artist’s creative will.
Coming after “Watch What Happens Next” is “Dream Boy“. This song is the most overtly Pop track from the album, incorporating frequent auto-tune and the common theme of the uncertainty that is tied to love. The song does its job and I sometimes find myself listening to it when it comes on shuffle, but it is not my favorite. I applaud the band for trying new sounds, and for some fans, I’m sure “Dream Boy” is just what they wanted to hear.
Next up is “Easy to Hate“, another Pop song; however, the lyricism present within this one is more impressive to me than that of “Dream Boy.” The song includes Awsten’s common assertion that he is represented by colors; in this case, his blue and green becoming red. This lyrical theme is present in “Stupid For You” which contains references to the original “I’m a Natural Blue.” The pre-choruses and choruses flow very nicely together, and the song ticks all the right boxes for me.
Track number four is “High Definition” which belongs to a genre I can only describe as Prog-Pop. It evolves throughout in an interesting and melodically satisfying way. The intro chorus is slow, empty, and quiet; it begins with a track of white noise that Awsten recorded in a mall. The following verse introduces a guitar melody which creates an atmosphere of safe uncertainty, and a percussion beat which sets up its evolution in the next chorus. Said chorus brings a piano melody with a synth bass into the fray. The lyrics of verse two address themes of being a bad friend and lover in a thoughtful way and the instrumentation maintains the momentum of the song. Following the next and final chorus, the song drops on a downbeat of the guitar and layering of the mall white noise which fades into the next song.
“Telephone” an upbeat and hopeful contrast to the previous track, interjecting with some welcome optimism. The lyrics speak of the beginning of a relationship, that being presumably Awsten’s most previous. I don’t have any strong feelings about this song, but what I do feel for it is mostly positive.
Coming between “Telephone” and “Turbulent” is a skit track called “Group Chat“. This short, positive, two-song bender is ended by the lead single from the album, the aforementioned “Turbulent.” The song opens with an interesting riff and well-introduced vocals. The lyrics within the first verse are funny and well written, referencing Fall Out Boy and addressing the irony of having an entire album written about an ex-girlfriend. The chorus features deep bass and frantic percussion which encapsulate the feelings of regret and panic that the lyrics expand upon. The bridge is manic and heavy, conveying bitterness and intense negative emotions sprouting from the immediate aftermath of a nasty breakup.
Track 9 is “Never Bloom Again.” This song is another personal favorite of mine. In the first verse, the guitar is a slow, downcast, and lonely melody while Awsten sings of longing for his lost love. During the chorus, The guitar becomes a bit more lively and some backing vocal harmonies are added. The second verse returns to the slow guitar lick before becoming joyful and full of life, springing into the second chorus.
“I Miss Having Sex But at Least I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore” has gone semi-viral on TikTok, giving Water Parks more of a claim to fame in the sphere of popular music. The song follows a consistently odd vocal meter, but it succeeds in doing so. The guitar is snappy and upbeat, and the song is on the better side of the album.
“War Crimes,” “[Reboot],” and “Zone Out” are my least favorite tracks from the album. “War Crimes” is a percussion-driven song with a decent bridge. “[Reboot]” uses themes previously put forth in “Dream Boy” and has a similar feeling to “High Definition,” but isn’t as good in my opinion. “Zone Out” is a slower, shorter, and sadder version of “Dream Boy.”
Interjecting between “[Reboot]” and “Zone Out” is “Worst“; an electronically driven and percussively satisfying piece with an impressive rhyme scheme. The line “Miss Unfaithful hit the backboard breaking bedsprings” contains a good amount of alliteration including the use of harsh consonants to covey the anger Awsten feels towards his ex.
The album’s closer “I Felt Younger When We Met” acts as an effective closer to the album and loops into the title track, “Cherry Red.” The lyrics describe Awsten’s penultimate feelings about his relationship: regret.
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