Run For The Whales | Better Every Day
By Sean Maldjian, Dillon Schwartz, Greg Seremba, and Niko Stathakopoulos, Contributors
Sean
This album is a terrific addition to the wonderful world of emo. Personally I dislike this record, but I am self aware enough to recognize it is only due to my own hang ups. I have a knee jerk reaction to music being made in 2020 that falls in line with sounds of All Time Low, and the Maine circa 2008. Without being able to check off that nostalgia box, the very polished pop-emo sound instead rubs me the wrong way. This album is put together well. I always look towards the drums in these releases and Run for The Whales shreds in that department. Fans of charming emo looking for a new collection of lighthearted energetic individuals should give it a listen.
Dillon
Ok, so, Run for the Whales is an LI-based Emo-Pop band releasing a full length in 2020. If you’ve read any of my previous thoughts on this blog or know me, you know what I think of this already...I fucking love Run for the Whales’ Better Every Day. It’s sweet, got just enough math-y guitar runs, and the right kind of production to allow all that to shine. Everyone else, stop reading this, and go listen to Better Every Day, it’s great and will make you feel great, seriously it’ll cure all that ails you. Run for the Whales, make me a promise OK? If you’re reading this, as soon as we’re all able to see a live show again, please play AMH, play it immediately, and play this whole fucking album there cause it rules.
Greg
Ever have that moment in the middle of the crowd at a show where you just let completely loose and let the moshers dictate your movements? Was that too ultra-specific? That’s how I envisioned this whole album during a live set. Run From The Whales check all the boxes of a quintessential pop-punk band-not much re-invention here, however they do it well. If you’re a pop-punk fan looking for some new nostalgia- this is for you. For those looking for something more experimental, I’d suggest looking elsewhere. Some particular highlights for me: Wake Up, Godspeed, Spider-Man, and Dear Friend.
Niko
I admire these folks because they wanted to make an emo record, and they made a fucking emo record. If I heard this blasted while drinking an overpriced pitcher at a punk bar, I would turn to the person next to me, point up to the ceiling for some reason, and say, “ya, this makes sense,” and then keep drinking. In the end, I think that is what these people were going for, so good for them. I like it. Overall I give this record three over-patched jean jackets out of 4 Joyce Manor Cassettes.