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A lot of new records that come out are poorly put together and were rushed or just made to make it on the radio. Of Mice & Men have taken whatever outlook you had on new albums and smashes it into the ground. Ever since this project had gotten announced I had my hopes set so high. With most albums I have my hopes set high for the album usually falls short, Of Mice & Men was exactly what I was hoping for. Every track the put up and had demos for where all phenomenal and I knew that when this release came out it would be hard to dislike anything about it.

The album starts off with the song YDG, which stands for “Ya Dig?”. This song is such a good song to get you into the record. It shows off how well Austin’s screams go with Shayley’s vocals. This song seems to be partly about someone Austin knows who isn’t living their life the way they should be but the band still cares for them.

They Don’t Call It The South For Nothing is the second track on the album and it’s definitely one I expect to be a fan favorite with the chant opportunity in the middle of the song with the band’s lyric, “I said I’d fight back, I didn’t say that I’d fight fair!”. The song Second & Sebring is one of the songs I heard before the album was put out in full and it’s one of my favorites. From what I can tell this song is about Austin making his mom proud by showing her he’s going to live how she raised him.

Westbound & Down is another really good song on the album. This song sounds like it’s about someone that Austin has become sick of and wants to have no part of in his life because of the choices they’ve made. John Deux Trois is a song that they’ve written and added the end of their demo song No Really, It’s Fine.

Those In Glass Houses is another song I heard before the album was fully put out. This song is about how Austin knows what he has going for him is going to get big but he’s not going to let pride or anyone who’s jealous of him get in the way of his dream. Farewell To Shady Glade sounds like it’s about Austin giving up a person, and maybe a place from the sounds of the title, that he was in love with or really cared for because it wasn’t the right person or place for him to be with.

The Ballad of Tommy Clayton & The Rawding Millionaire is a really good song in my opinion because it has some of my favorite breakdowns in the whole album. Seven Thousand Miles For What is one of the first songs the band ever released and this rerecorded version sounds so much better than the demo. Easily my favorite song on the record. The last song on the album, This One’s For You is a good end to the record and I think it’s love song.

I thoroughly enjoyed this album and would easily recommend it. My only thing against the album is it’s too short, with ten songs it’s just about a half hour long. Other than that though I loved every song and can’t wait to pick up this record and see Of Mice & Men live. I encourage everyone that reads this to do the same.

For Fans Of: Attack Attack!, Asking Alexandria, The Word Alive

Overall Rating (Out of 10): 9

Tracks To Listen To: They Don’t Call It The South For Nothing, Second & Sebring, and Seven Thousand Miles For What

Track List:

YDG

They Don’t Call It The South For Nothing

Second & Sebring

Westbound & Down

John Deux Trois

Those In Glass Houses

Farewell To Shady Glade

The Ballad Of Tommy Clayton & The Rawding Millionaire

Seven Thousand Miles For What

This One’s For You