Tonight Alive “What Are You So Scared Of?”

First off, Tonight Alive is a five-piece pop punk band from Sydney, Australia. Formed in 2008, the quintet gained popularity on the Australian scene while touring and releasing their All Shapes and Disguises and Consider This EPs when they caught the attention of producer Mark Trombino (Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World, The Starting Line) and in early 2011 traveled to Los Angeles to record their debut album What Are You So Scared Of?

Tonight Alive have signed to Fearless Records and are currently on the US Fearless Friends Tour alongside Blessthefall, The World Alive, and Motionless In White.

Tonight Alive is: Jenna McDougall (Vocals), Whakaio Taahi (Lead guitar, backing vocals), Jake Hardy (Rhythm guitar), Cameron Adler (Bass guitar, backing vocals), Matt Best (Drums/percussion).

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The beginning of the album starts off with Eject, eject, eject, an instrumental opener, which then has the intro into the next song Breaking and Entering.Eject consists of guitar riffs and sounds that make you intrigued to find out how the track will end, and it ends by being a part of…

Breaking and Entering is one of the heaviest songs on the track, and a good example that shows Jenna McDougall can use her vocals. The lyrics are well written, the guitars, and drums working well with Jenna’s voice.

Starlight is one of the most catchiest songs off the album. Upbeat, catchy lyrics- it just makes you want to sing along. And the message behind the song is very clear as well as pop punk feeling is there. And the most catchy part for me was at 2:09 where the lyrics are explained more towards the song. Overall, one of my favorite songs off the album.

Sure As Hell is another upbeat song that makes you want to sing along and head bang along. A strong point in the album and shows them off very well, Basically the whole song and the meaning behind it makes you feel good, and there’s nothing wrong with the lyrics, either.

Let It Land is one of the album’s more slower songs, at first the message isn’t clear, as stated by Jenna in an interview when she said that she didn’t know how to explain it. Jenna’s voice is low at first, with no pitch, but it gradually evolves to a higher range where I’m used to listening to her voice. The lyrics are catchy and make you think. One of the catchiest parts for me was at 1:57, where I couldn’t help but sing along and think hard on the meaning of the lyrics.

Fake It is another one of my favorites, and Tonight Alive do a good job making this track into a more heavier, “rock” song. Catchy lyrics, dance worthy, sing along, headbanging song are the ways I would describe this song. You just can’t help but sing along with Jenna saying “Whoa” or any part of the song.

Listening makes me think back to Paramore’s “All We Know Is Falling” days although the difference in their sound and Tonight Alive’s is distinguishable. They lyrics are well written, drums sound well, and the guitars have catchy riffs all around. Although my least favorite part about this song was at 2:00-2:05, because it just doesn’t go well with the rest of the song. But you can’t help but sing along to “Are you listening?”

The beginning of Reason To Sing is catchy. You can’t help but sing along with the “Whoa’s” all throughout the song, Good drumming by Matt, nice guitar& bass riffs by the boys. Favorite part: 1:50 mins.

Safe and Sound starts off by being acoustic and it gradually incorporates the rest of the full band. Jenna’s voice sounds good in this track as well as the rest of the band. The lyrics are well written, and if you were a fan of Tonight Alive before this album, you should know that Safe and Sound was one of Jenna’s acoustic songs.

Some of the lyrics were changed from the original song, as explained to me by Jenna via Twitter: “Just had to adjust them a little to fit the new music!” And don’t get me wrong, the songs’ way better now recorded on this album.

Thankyou & Goodnight is an old song off of their All Shapes and Disguises EP that was rerecorded for this album with guest vocals by Mark Hoppus (Blink 182). Jenna starts off with the first stanza and chorues while Mark picks up after the chorus and sings along in the background while Jenna sings the chorus and then Mark sings a new addition of lyrics to the song while Jenna then sings and Mark repeats it for the rest of the song. All in all, way better than when first recorded, catchy and upbeat.

Amelia is one of the most saddest, slowest, and beautiful songs off the album. It pays tribute to Amelia McGuiness, a friend of Jenna who died at a young age of 16 years old. Powerful chorus, the way that Jenna wrote the lyrics shows how much thought she put into this song, and it’s one of the most widely talked about songs on the album, and it sort of leaves you breathless after the song is over.

In The First Place is another song that shows what Tonight Alive can do. Catchy, upbeat, sweet and to the point, it just makes you want to sing along all the way to the end and the song tittle says it all.

To Die For is another song from All Shapes and Disguises. The opening guitar riffs have an uncanny close resemblance to that off Paramore’s “Preassure”although the rest of the song proves that it’s their last triumph of the band on the album, showing that they can sing and are proud of the finishing work.

What Are You So Scared Of? Is the last track of the album, and provides the most insight on the what the band thought to show in their album. The message is straight and to the point, making you think a lot about the lyrics, while also being catchy and sweet. This song makes you want to clap your hands at certain times and sing along to the stanza “I used to be scared…” A good ending to the the album.

Overall the whole album was well orchestrated, lyrics well written, good catchy music, and even though they had their ups and downs, Tonight Alive is a band to remember and will definitely improve in the future. Although the album was a little bit long (no debut album should be 14 tracks long, it should be precises and to the point to show their strongest points), there is no denying that the album was where they will become famous and popular, with a follow up album that is better than their debut.