There are few things better than cruising around town, windows down, blaring the anthem of your summer.  Throughout the years,  some of my personal favorites have include a few of Blink 182′s greatest hits, like “All The Small Things” and “Ocean Avenue” by Yellowcard.  If these are some of your favorites too than you are going to love”Discovery,” a new single released by UK natives, The Summer War.

Current Single
“Know Secrets”

Members
Eric Urbach – Guitar/Vocals
Meghan O’Neil – Bass/Vocals
Ian Keighley – Guitar/Vocals
Matthew Kadi – Drums

How did you form as Know Secrets?
I (Eric Urbach) asked Meghan if she wanted to play music together rather spontaneously at a show one night. It felt right in the moment. I wrote a song and she really liked it and then we started jamming. Then the floodgates opened and a slew of new songs came out. It felt very organic and exciting. I asked my friend Matt Kadi if he would be interested in recording the drums on the EP and he said yes right away. After we started playing together as a group the chemistry was there. We recorded an EP in the spring and are getting ready to release it. Ian just joined the band on 2^nd guitar.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?
The biggest highlight is just being able to take the idea of the band and making it a reality. I feel like the songs are great, the band dynamic is great, the recording came out great and our first show was awesome. On top of that people are already taking notice. Our first song we posted got over 1,000 plays almost right away. I’m just happy that people are interested and connecting with what we are doing.

Why should people listen to you? What makes Know Secrets different?
The premise of the band consists of taking what we have done with our other bands and expanding on it. I’m really interested in bands that take the idea of punk rock and reinterpret it. Most of the bands I’m really interested in do that and have done that in some way. We want to keep the music fresh. We combine the elements of rock that we like with the elements of punk and hardcore we respond to the most. That gives you a solid combination of hooks, riffs, and breakdowns, with interesting arrangements and unique melodies all under a DIY work ethic.

Follow Know Secrets through their social networks:
Official Website // Facebook // Bandcamp 

Check out Know Secrets’ debut EP artwork, tracklisting, & album teaser:

As a high school senior, I currently understand the big deal with graduation. Between graduation practices and signing yearbooks, the nostalgia of the past four years has been hitting me hard and so many great memories are coming along with it. I never imagined how tough it would be to say goodbye to these past four years; however, I am so excited to see what the future has in store for me next. Whether these albums came out two years ago or ten years ago, they still remind me of the best four years of my life and how amazing they have been.

5. 19 – Adele

Lets face it, everyone has heard an Adele album at least once in their life, but most of the time it’s 21 rather than 19. But for this list, 19 is definitely a better fit. From heartbreak in “Make You Feel My Love” to fighting with your best friend in “My Same”, Adele completely captures what it truly means to be 19. The one track in the album that’s perfect for graduation is “Hometown Glory” in which she talks about her love for her hometown of London and how much she misses it, something every graduate is going to feel soon enough when they go away for college.

4. Electra Heart – Marina and the Diamonds 

Possibly one of the greatest albums (in my opinion) taken out in 2012, Marina takes on the role of “Electra Heart” and, throughout the album, sings about the troubles and tribulations Electra goes through in her life. She tries to find herself in “Teen Idle”, trying not to fall in love she’s not supposed to in “Starring Role”, and trying to stir up trouble in “How To Be A Heartbreaker”, she perfectly embodies how it is to be a teenager during high school.

3. Some Nights – Fun.

This album pretty much contains my entire senior year in a nutshell. From questioning everything like in “One Foot”, letting go of the past and looking forward to the future in “Stars”, and celebrating our youth and everything that’s coming next in “We Are Young”. This album is one of the most relatable albums to almost every high school senior right now.

 2. All We Know Is Falling – Paramore

When I was making this list, I knew that any Paramore album would fit in perfectly. It wasn’t until I reheard the album that I realize that this was the one that spoke to me about my high school years the most. “Brighter” helped me during the loss of a schoolmate and “Here We Go Again” showed me how much I didn’t really care for the loss of a relationship. But the song that has affected me the most is “Franklin” which has shown me how much everything will change and how I shouldn’t dwell on the past and show focus more on the future.

1. Chroma – Cartel

In what is most likely Cartel’s best album comes one of the most relatable albums of all time. The album takes you on a musical journey that shows you everything a teenager typically feels during their high school career. From telling someone to be herself in “Say Anything (Else)”, to trying everything to impress a girl in “The Minstrels Prayer”, or wanting to leave town and become something big “Burn This City”, this album has it all. Best of all, Cartel puts it all together for us in the end with the songs “Q” and “A” in one of one of the best endings to an album ever. This album is everything I have felt over the past four years and is one that is still going to be relatable as time goes by.

It was many people’s dream tour line-up, and when the Spring Fever tour was announced in January, I could practically hear the screams from all over America. With a full U.S tour routing and a line-up consisting of You Me At Six, Mayday Parade, Pierce The Veil and All Time Low, the Spring Fever tour was bound to be the best selling, and best event of the spring tour season.

I arrived at the venue over 5 hours before doors and could see that the line of patiently waiting fans had already wrapped around the building. The buses were parked in the same parking lot, and groups of fans were anxiously waiting to catch a sight of their favorite band or favorite band member. You could already feel the excitement in the air. That excitement was multiplied by 1000 once doors opened. Groups of friends ran in towards the barricade to make sure they grab they best place in the house for the night.

The first band on the bill for the night was You Me At Six. Having formed across the pond, they have worked very hard over the past few years to make a name for themselves in America. After the reaction of the fans and how loud everyone screamed their song lyrics, you could tell their hard work has paid off. Even though they only played 7 songs, they set a great vibe for the evening.

Although Mayday Parade has toured on the same album a few times, their fans are definitely not sick of their music. They chose to open with a personal favorite of mine, ‘Jamie All Over’, and continued to play songs of all of their three full-lengths.

I have only seen Pierce The Veil once before this tour, but I could instantly tell that they have stepped their game up (not that it was ever down.) They had a stage set-up that was full of painted gears that intertwined within each other and spun throughout the whole set and included confetti throughout the entire set. The first few songs were completely blue lit, with a black light in between and set the creepy factory scene. I don’t know many Pierce The Veil songs, but that did not stop me from enjoying their set. They put on a great performance that engages the attendees and definitely cannot be missed.

And finally, All Time Low took the stage. I have seen All Time Low way too many times to even mention, but their performance gets better and better every single time. They played a great variety of songs of all their albums, and even still pleased fans by playing songs off their first EP Put Up or Shut Up although there were some distant cries for them to go all the way back to their roots and play ‘Circles’. Maybe one day! A highlight for my night was the giant A T L letters in lights hanging behind. (Shout out to Jeff Maker for lighting the letters up during ‘Dear Maria, Count Me In’.) After all these years, All Time Low still has their on-stage chemistry that works hand-in-hand with Jack Barakat and Zack Merrick’s synchronized jumps.

Although this tour is over, it is a must that you catch these acts on future tours. Who knows, maybe they will do a Spring Fever part 2?

You Me At Six

Mayday Parade

Pierce The Veil

All Time Low