ALBUM REVIEW ~ THE DANGEROUS SUMMER ~ 'GRAVITY'

what's an hour really worth, I'm music magazine, the dangerous summer, rude records, aj perdomo, josh witheshaw, christian zawacki, gravity,

The Dangerous Summer’s new album, Gravity, came out June 21st on Rude Records. It’s the band’s latest offering in a long line of studio albums. The Dangerous Summer was founded in 2006 and currently consists of AJ Perdomo (vocals/bass), Josh Withenshaw (guitar), and Christian Zawacki (drums).

I put Gravity on for background noise while I did some work. It’s one of my favorite ways to try a new album, because if it’s interesting, it’ll make me stop what I’m doing to listen. “Pacific Ocean” caught my attention for a cool guitar riff repeated a few times throughout. I also enjoyed the use of metaphor to describe life’s challenges like waves of the ocean. I feel many people will instantly identify with this track.

The title track, “Gravity” has a nostalgic sound and continues the lyrical themes of “Pacific Ocean” well. I like how well “Pacific Ocean” transitioned into “Gravity,” giving the album a cohesive listening feel. There are some albums that just don’t work well when listening all the way through because they seem so all over the place, but not Gravity. Definitely these two songs, but the whole album was thought out as a journey instead of a dozen songs just jumbled together.

I didn’t intend to write this review going in track to track order, but “You’ll See It All Coming” is probably my favorite track on Gravity. I found it haunting in a deeply emotional way. It’s always a nice treat when listening to an album all the way through and a song can grab you in the feelings. I like the lyrics, such as “It must’ve taken me all night to find the words, the best ones are bound to hurt.”

“With My Pen” is a fun song guitar wise. I like the repeated, higher-pitched riff paired with a deep, hammering bass line. But when you really listen, the lyrics were blunt to the point of almost shocking, and I found that I liked the honesty of them. The music blended well with the lyrics and helped me empathize with the pain and the deep need mentioned within.

Overall, Gravity is an emotional, raw album with a cohesive feel. Some people may find it depressing, to be honest, but anyone who has struggled with depression or anxiety in their past may find the album comforting. They may feel understood. I’d recommend Gravity certainly to fans of The Dangerous Summer, but also to anyone who likes haunting, emotional music, and to everyone like me who has kept a steady emo/pop-punk playlist for years. Gravity is a welcome addition to the collection.

I’m Music Magazine Photographer/Writer Jojo Key