“Hold on to hope if you got it, don’t let it go for nobody.”
If RIOT! was my soundtrack for 7th grade heartbreak when my best friend dated the guy I liked, After Laughter is my soundtrack for early adulthood — exposing the inevitable feelings of doubt, anxiety, and the erratic discovery of growing into myself.
I think there’s this weird, collective (albeit somehow comforting) understanding that everyone in their 20s is a little bit lost. After Laughter was my realization that it’s okay to feel this way and it’s more common than I even know.
At first listen, the album is an avalanche of shimmery-pop 80s hooks with a modern alternative twist. But I’ve always been more a lyrics person and that’s what attached me to this album. It was phrases like “Don’t ask me how I’ve been, don’t make me play pretend…I bet everybody here is fake happy, too,” (“Fake Happy”) and “I don’t need no help, I can sabotage me by myself,” (“Caught In The Middle”) that made me take a step back and think, “Hey, that’s exactly how I feel.”
I chose After Laughter for my #ROTW because I hope everyone who listens feels a little less alone in their thoughts and experiences. Growing up isn’t all sunshine and rainbows and I think having words to guide you through the “Hard Times” is a lifesaver.
If you haven’t heard it yet, check out After Laughter below and let me know what you think:
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