Article #20 – July 17th

Well the stars aligned and everything fell into place like it was an accident but things like this don’t just happen. On July 17th the kids will come out from hiding in the hills and descend on unknowing retailers to pick up one of the records that’s bound to be a 2007 favorite.

MxPx — Secret Weapon
Motion City Soundtrack — Even If It Kills Me  [Now Sept. 18th]
Rooney — Calling The World
The Rocket Summer — Do You Feel
Sound The Alarm — Stay Inside
Yellowcard — Paper Walls

At least one of these records mentioned above is on everyone’s list of records that they are looking forward to. There are a lot of Tuesday’s in which you like a few of the releases so what makes this one so appealing? There are actually several reasons July 17th garners so much attention.

A couple of these releases are make or break releases. Mxpx has been around close to 15 years and surprises most people by continuing to release records on a regular basis. Is “Secret Weapon” Mxpx’s last record? If the release does not go so well it is definitely in the realm of possibility. I don’t think this will be the last we see of Yellowcard if “Paper Walls” tanks but I think this will be the record to reconnect the band with long time fans or it will be the final straw, alienating “One for the Kids” and “Ocean Avenue” fans.

Bryce Avary of The Rocket Summer has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a talented musician and can that write a great song. Each Rocket Summer record has been better than the previous and so with the band moving to a major label there is a lot of expectations with the newest record “Do You Feel”. With the single “Break It Out” being released it gives that expectation a firm foundation that it will be fully met.

With the release of so many potential hit records which ones do you spend your money on? If you can’t afford them all (which most can’t) how do you choose which one’s you actually buy? Does July 17th officially mark that summer is officially under way? I think it does.