From my ipod to the blog...

Being deployed sucks. Being away from friends, family, and everything you love to be put into a situation where everyday is just a grind to get through. Few people that haven't been there understand the complete feeling of isolation. Of those few, I feel that indie musicians probably have the closest experiences to the deployed soldier. Being on the road for 9-10 months trying to squeak out a whatever living they can make. Sleeping in rundown hotels or on the bus, they just leave everything they love behind for what they believe in. The soldier has his nation and the musician has his music.
No album I have heard yet proves this point more than A Day to Remember's Homesick. This album basically plays out the struggles of deployed through the eyes of the band. Through writing music based on their struggles with touring they have given me my soundtrack to my deployment. Every song on this album feels like it is ripped from my own personal feelings. From the opening acapella breakdown of The Downfall of Us All to the closing acoustic sing along If it Means A Lot to You, ADTR gives you a glimpse of the life on the road and overseas.
Homesick is crammed full with gang vocals over breakdowns. A wrinkle that I can not get enough of. It just begs to be sung along with while picking up change. Some people have come down on them for being a little too poppy or watered down. But when you take a step back and look at the finished product its hard to argue with the band. Walking the tight rope of hardcore with pop punk they deftly put on a show that I believe should be pleasing to both crowds.
The first track begins with the band doing gang vocals for a breakdown. Personally, I think its genius and shortly it blasts into driving riffs. The song is their letter to their families explaining why they have to leave them. With lyrics like "I sold my soul to the open road," it's hard to blame them. As a soldier its eerie how they've captured that feel of the love you have for your family versus the commitment you've made to serve. Its absolutely heartbreaking to leave but its what you know, and what you love. And ADTR have gotten it perfectly.
The song Have Faith in Me is the band's letter back home promising their loved ones better times and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Opening with drum rolls it's easy to bring to mind the endless road rolling beneath the wheels of the convoy as your thinking of home. The song is the soldier's plea to his family to trust him that everything is going to be alright. That he has their best interests in mind.
The title track pretty sums up every tour I have been a part of. The feelings of missing out on home and being away from everything you love isn't something you get used to. It's something you just deal with, and everyone is different. The song plays as a letter to their parents just letting them know that they are still wanting to be home with them but they have made their choice to follow their dreams.
If it Means a Lot to You is the song that hits way too close to home for many soldiers that I know. Sung as a letter home to his girlfriend and her replys it is heart wrenching to listen to. Along with Sierra Kusterbeck of Versa Emerge. ADTR tells the story of being away living the life you chose while their girlfriend doesn't understand answering their letters with a Dear John letter of her own. Knowing multiple guys who have been through that situation and having been through it myself if never gets easy listening to it.
Overall, Homesick is a great up tempo rollicking trip down the touring path. I highly recommend it to anyone that has trouble imagining what exactly a soldier feels everytime he is called away to work his craft.