Waterparks: the Rising Pop-Punk Trio and My Discovery of the Band
*DISCLAIMER* this post is a little more personal than usual, so it will be getting a little sappy and cliche. However, I would recommend to just go with it and enjoy the ride:)
Everyone has a personal connection with a form of art, whether it’s music, literature, film, or any other media. For me, my strongest passions have always been associated with music. As I’ve matured and grown older, so has my taste in music; twelve-year-old me who used to sing every lyric to Taylor Swift’s Red eventually reached middle school (yikes, everyone’s favorite phase) and found herself shifting gears to OneRepublic’s underappreciated singles and the metaphorical lyrics of Fall Out Boy. It’s impossible for someone’s taste in music to stay the same forever, but it is possible for anybody to form a long-lasting connection with a specific artist, album, or song and its effects on others. For me, my most recent example is the lucky connection I formed with a band by the name of Waterparks.
About six months ago, I discovered the pop-punk trio Waterparks through social media and the hype they were getting from their tour at the time. Eager to find a new band to add to my list of favorites, I searched their profile on Spotify, pressed “shuffle” on their discography, and listened to “Blonde” for the first time (which at the time, was their most recent release). To say that the song changed my life is an understatement; I was instantly hooked. Between Awsten Knight’s catchy vocals, Otto Wood’s thrilling drum beats, and Geoff Wigington’s exhilarating guitar, I couldn't turn away from the band’s talent.
What started as an obsession for one song eventually turned into an appreciation for an entire album. I continued to learn more about Waterparks by listening to the first album Double Dare. “21 Questions” and “Take Her to the Moon” instantly became my favorites and I would constantly play them on repeat (until I would be unfortunately interrupted by an advertisement due to my free trials on music-streaming apps). I discovered the band’s quirky music videos next; the boy-band-parodied “Stupid for You”, the (dog) show-stopping “Crave”, and the humorous “Gloom Boys” all served as outlets for me to learn more the band and grow a greater appreciation for their style of music. As I started to listen to their music on a daily basis, the captivating guitar riffs caught my attention and inspired me to learn new songs, chords, and techniques that excited me. It only took a few months for me to fall in love with Waterparks’ unique music.
During the last month of 2017, I was faced with one of the worst weeks of my life and I felt as if I hit rock bottom. My emotions were a hurricane, but I found ease through the endless support of my friends and the comfort of listening to music on the daily. The acoustic calmness of “Lucky People” become one of my favorites alongside the uplifting “Hawaii (Stay Awake).” Without that constant escape to the things I loved--friends, family, and music-- I wouldn’t have been able to view the bright side of things and focus on the positives that were surrounding me.
It was through “Blonde” and “Lucky People” that I saw the announcement for the upcoming album Entertainment and started to count down the days to its release. I carried my excitement with me throughout January as I made frequent stops to record stores. During my first-ever visit to Amoeba Music in Hollywood, I bought Double Dare and a few weeks later I was on top of it to purchase their sophomore album from my local Zia’s. I listened to the album on the drive home, already knowing a majority of the lyrics from going on a constant listening spree the previous week, and it’s easy to say that the album title is extremely fitting. Entertainment is captivating nonetheless, providing a seamless segway from one era of Waterparks’ music to the next. From the first note on the opening track to the last chord wrapping up the album, Entertainment successfully demonstrates the band’s musical evolution while staying true to themselves. As the band has been touring around the world to promote the album, they’ve most recently announced that they’ll be playing the main stage at the final Vans Warped Tour this summer. They’ve come a long way in such a short amount of time, and their success is well-deserved due to their abundant talent.
To make a long story short, Waterparks’ songs have become my everyday anthems, and now I’m recommending them for everybody else. They’ve created a variety of songs that touch upon a mix of everything while staying true to their pop-punk roots. For the alt-indie lovers, “We Need to Talk,” “Peach (Lobotomy),” and “I’ll Always Be Around” might be the picks for you. If you’re more into the punk-rock scene with a flare of pop, “Blonde,” “Gloom Boys,” and “Rare” are for you. Waterparks is one band out of many that deserves more recognition than they get, so I hope that you take the time to listen to their music and find something you enjoy. :)