When I first heard of The Summer Set, I wrote them off as some sort of made for Disney band. After seeing “Chelsea,” I thought that was the last I’d ever hear from them. Years later I am sitting here singing every word of that damn song and enjoying every damn second. Why, because as much as my exterior tries to hide it, I am forever a teeny bopper. My heart can’t say no to a pop song, even if it’s a heavily induced pop rock track and that’s why I am sitting here today with The Summer Set’s Legendary.
Every slow song wasn’t my cup of tea. I don’t dig it when The Summer Set isn’t making me move like a Bop Magazine pullout should. She might’ve almost won The Voice, but Dia Frampton’s contribution to “Heart on the Floor” didn’t come close to helping that song win me over. The same goes with “Someday.” A couple of other songs that didn’t get me going were “The Way We Were” and “Happy For You” which was a little too ridiculous when it came to a song about a girl. The lyrics reminded me of that Bruno Mars song where he’d catch a grenade. Who in their right mind would do that?
Now on to boast about the rest of the record. Sunday night I wrote how it is impossible to hate Emma Watson because she’s like a puppy. The same can be said about The Summer Set when they create songs like “7 Days” and “Boomerang.” Oh “Boomerang,” it’s as catchy as chicken pox, and as cute as the Olsen Twins circa 1995 and shouts out Beyonce and Jay-Z. If you’re not intrigued to listen after that, you’re probably into music that’s a total Debbie Downer.
Seeing as this is a POP rock record, the choruses are to be highlighted because that’s what makes pop songs well, pop. “Lightning in a Bottle” was so so until it hit its chorus and the money shot came with “…don’t give a fuck about tomorrow.” That was also the case with “Fuck U Over.” Even live, I’m sitting there waiting for the chorus to kick in. The amount of fucks on this record…And I thought they were Disney.
Fun and games aside, Legendary does have some songs that I actually found thought provoking. The title track admits that he just wants to be “Legendary,” and who doesn’t want to leave a permanent mark on the world? The other song to mention is “Jukebox (Life Goes On).” While the average age of a TSS fan is about 16, the idea of being forever young is a timeless idea in song and done very well in this one. It also advises to not sweat the small stuff and as you get older and reality can be a bitch, it’s nice to have a song to remind you to not take everything so serious. Also, if you haven’t noticed…I love pop culture and “Jukebox” mentions Dawson’s Creek, so yeah…
The Summer Set is no longer some band I think of as Disney bred, although when I saw them on Halloween they were all dressed as Disney characters. Nevertheless, they are a band I think is fun, puppy-like, and one that writes not only to entertain, but from the heart. The Summer Set is for fans of We Are The In Crowd and speaking of all this Disney, the JoBros (I’m hip, I know the abbreviation). Legendary is out now on Fearless Records.
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