Kinda Review: Entertainment - Waterparks Album (Also My 100th Post!!)

Hi! Welcome to another "Kinda Review". The reason why all these are called "Kinda Review" is because I have no constructive criticism and it's all just me screaming about albums and artist.

This also so happens to be my 100th post. And it's a long one, this is your warning. I had to stop myself from writting an essay about every song.

Also since I'm posting this on Monday my Man Crush Monday is all three members of Waterparks.

I wrote a blog post about Waterparks when I first got into them which you can find here. In that post I said I hope to see them live and guess what, I am seeing them live in November. I am beyond excited because this will be my first REAL concert.

Today, I'm talking about their newest album Entertainment.

I have listened to this album so much. It's so good. Go listen to it, if you haven't. I'll try to insert all of the videos, but if I cannot insert the videos, they will be linked in the song titles.

I am not a critic. I just enjoy music. And I really love this album so I thought I'd write about it on my blog.

Disclaimer: I know some of the songs are about and mention a past relationship. I am going to try to keep everything as general as possible because we really don't need to talk about it and put salt on the wound.

Also, everything in this post is my opinion and my interpretations of the lyrics.

Let's get to it!

1. "11:11"

Can I just admit, that as much as I loved this song before looking at the lyrics, I didn't know it was THAT cute. Aw. It's a love song. It's really cute. The first two lines "You're the beach on Christmas Eve / Wrong place, good time, consistently". My interpretation of this has to do with a long distance relationship. Then comes the line "I feel like a walking love song" which obviously means this person is in love. It's repeated throughout the song. The pre-chorus goes "My favorite set of stairs is the one up to your room / And my heavy set of cares evaporates all around you / Evil comes in pairs and we like what we do / You've got me feeling like a walking love song". We get the repeat of "walking love song". He is in love and the person he loves makes him feel good. I don't want to go through every lyric - if you want me to I'll write a whole post about it - but I do want to point out the line "I found your slipper in the cold" which is so cute. Like Cinderella fairytale true love. I said "aw" seven times while going through the lyrics. The last lyric I want to talk about is in the chorus, the line "I must've caught you from 11:11" because this hits home for me since I've made a romantic wish at 11:11 before. The lyrics are cute and the guitar and the drums and the little synth sounds make it sound like a magical song, which is understandable since it's called "11:11" and it's a love song.

2. "Blonde"

This is the first song I showed to my dad and this song turned him into a fan. He even added it to one of his playlists. My dad is coming with me to see them. This song is a bop but it's a little depressing. The song as a whole, to me, is about sadness. Let me be real, certain lyrics have pulled on my heartstrings too hard. Someone, please give Awsten Knight a hug for me. I am going to try not to pull out too many lyrics like I did for the first song because no doubt if I keep at that pace, it'll be a really long post. But if you want me to write a post about this song alone, I will. The line, where I would assume the song gets its title from is "I think the blondes are done, we're all too cool for fun". My interpretation of this is going against the whole "blondes have more fun". The first verse starts "I go blonde when I'm sad" and that alone sets the mood for the whole song. One of my favorite lines of the song is "I feel trapped in contracts, I'm depressed tied in gift wrap". I don't know why, besides the fact that it's relatable. Not the trapped in contracts part. Just the depressed part. This song is a good depressing bop.

3. "Peach (Lobotomy)

I couldn't insert the music video, so I inserted the official audio and I'll link the music video in the title. This is one of three songs on this album that I keep going back an forth with as my favorite. I'd say this is another love song. The person singer, or narrator, is talking about how they cannot stop thinking of someone. That someone who makes them happy. The line "You're why I'm sitting here making up songs in my room" to me sounds like the someone the narrator is speaking about it their muse. Then the chorus goes "The la-la-la-lobotomy / Has taken all of, all of me / The la-la-la-lobotomy / Took all but you". The narrator is only thinking of this someone. This someone consumes their every thought. My favorite line is "You're why I'm sitting here, hating myself for needing someone so bad and feeling dumb dumb dumb dumb" because I relate. This line talks about obsession and neediness. They hate themselves for relying on someone else to make them happy. They jump into relationships fully and give their all to the other person. I relate, hence why this is one of my favorite songs off the album.

4. "We Need to Talk"

I couldn't even insert the audio so the music video will be linked in the title. This is actually the first Waterparks song I heard. The music video is GREAT and I wanted to be Awsten in this video for Halloween but I can't afford to dye my hair. The first line is "Your mama likes me and she doesn't like anyone" and it made me think of a line in that Bieber song, "Love Yourself". Just wanted to get that out of the way. This song is either a break-up song or a song that marks the beginning of the end of a relationship. I mean it's titled "We Need to Talk" which to me sounds like a break-up. This song is someone reminiscent of the relationship that ended or is going to end. The line "I wish you didn't tell me I was special / 'Cause not it's too hard to see through" sounds like the person regrets listening to their soon to be ex or already ex. They are questioning that someone. Then "'Cause you shine brighter than morning / At least I thought you did" is the person realizing that despite them believing their someone was amazing, they are not that great. "I really thought I was lucky, f*** me" is regret that the narrator fell for this someone. I just wanna say I love Awsten's laugh when he sings "I'm sorry I don't hack your phone like he did". Was that on purpose or was that just a thing that happened that they decided to keep in? Either way, I love it. The last lines I'll point out and talk about are "This line's here to make you think of your nose twitch / The one I always loved, but you were so self-conscious / I'm haunted" I think that specifically the "I'm haunted" is a reference to "Peach (Lobotomy)" when he talks about how that someone consumes his every thought. Even now that the relationship is at its end, he still sometimes fondly thinks about this someone who hurt him. It's a great song, but I'll stop talking about it before it becomes a whole essay.

5. "Not Warriors"

Blogger needs to fix it so I can insert the actual videos. Their YouTuber feature is very flawed. The audio is inserted but the actual music video is linked. This song. This video. It's all so good. The imagery in the video is amazing. And it's heartbreaking to go along with the song. I feel like this one is post break-up. The chorus goes "There's nothing in my system / So I'm feeling what I feel for you". The "nothing in my system" could be alcohol or drugs. They are dealing with the yearning for a certain someone and it is causing them pain. A few lines after the chorus goes "And I just need you to feel it too". I feel like this is the narrator wanting their ex/the someone to feel the same way they do. Maybe they'll feel it'll make them feel better. What breaks my heart is the lines "And what's awful is- / (Don't think like that)" and I'm going to break generalizing again and say someone please give Awsten a hug for me. Later in the song, in the bridge, is "Because we're lucky people / And you'll never have to sleep alone" which I'm pretty sure is referencing two other songs on this album. It's a really good song that pulls on the heartstrings and please watch the music video because it was so well done. There's more I can say about this song, but I'm trying not to make this post too long.

6. "Lucky People"

I love everything about the music video. I love everything about this song. On my Waterparks post, I said this was my favorite song at the time. It's just such a cute song. Do you need a cute love song to send to your significant other? Send this. It's my most played song off the album. I don't plan on getting married, but if it ever happens, catch this being the song I dance to at my wedding with my future spouse. Just saying. That is how much I love this song. It's from the point of view of a person who is in love and happy. My favorite line in the whole song that is repeated constantly is "Let's keep each other safe from the world". It's just so cute and lovely. In the chorus "Happy birthday, Merry Christmas / To the one I call my missus" is believed to parallel a line from "Gloom Boys" that goes "Birthdays and Christmas are not on my wishlist". The person in love now has a reason to look forward to birthdays and Christmas and now welcomes the holidays. The lines "My hourglass is in your hands / You've got my time, you are my plans" is the person in love explaining that everything for them revolves around the someone they are in love with. It also implies that they plan to be with this person in the future. Again, I say this song is so cute. For me, it's the perfect love song. The acoustic guitar and simplicity of the song just warm my heart. The song is just a boy, his guitar and his heart. Let me tell you, I watched a sunset while drinking tea and listening to this song on repeat and that was probably the most beautiful moment of my entire life thus far.

7. "Rare"

This one doesn't have a music video so you get the audio. I don't know to explain this song. It's another love song. I love the line "'Cause we're not seventeen, but you're my teenage dream". It's so cute. The person is saying that their significant other is everything they could have dreamed. That is SO cute. Like goals. Then in the chorus are the lines "I just hope it's nicer where you are / 'Cause I only wanna lift you up". They hope that things are better wherever their significant other is. It could refer to mental health or physical actual weather and environment. The vibes I get from this song is the person singing is dealing with personal sadness or depression that can be "resolved" by their significant other and that they hope that someone is doing better than they are. They keep calling their significant other rare, which to me is them saying I've never met anyone like you. The lines "I wasn't prepared / I've got to say / I think it's weird I need your love" reminds me back in "Peach (Lobotomy)" the line "...hating myself for needing someone so bad and feeling dumb...". It's a good song. I've learned its the least popular off the album, but I enjoy this song.

8. "TANTRUM"

This is probably my second most played song off the album. I don't know why I love it so much, but I do. This song goes so hard. Especially the drums. Being that I'm keeping this as general as possible, I am not going to talk about the name dropping at the end of the song, but that's a thing. I love the automated voices at the beginning and very end of the song. I appreciate that this is a song that came from anger. This is a hard song to talk about and keep it general, honestly. I am going to try my best, but I'll have to be specific for certain lines. I LOVE the line "Maybe if I kill myself you'll know I'm sincere". It's dark, but it's an honest feeling. It is known that artists become loved icons after they die, even if they were hated when they were alive. The chorus goes "I resent the part scene / With a part of me that's hard to see / It's tuned my starry friends / To uninspired lacking symmetry". This is not going to be a generalization. Waterparks is a pop-punk rock band. However, they don't fit into the cookie cutter image of a band. At least I don't see them fitting into the stereotype of party animal rockstars and I think that is a big reason that I fell in love with this band besides the fact that they make good music. "So, excuse my tantrum / Can't you see I've got my hands full" is an apology for "acting out" or being angry. But they have every right to be upset. The lines "But we don't know you, you don't know we / We're freaked out and fragile" jumped out to me when a month or so ago Awsten tweeted about people making Twitter not fun anymore. There are a million different things people could be doing that make him uncomfortable. And as someone who has been a fangirl my whole life, I see other fans cross lines and don't understand why certain boundaries exist. And even I've made mistakes that I've learned from. I'm going to leave it here. This turned out longer than I planned for it to be.

9. "Crybaby"

I like that this is the song following "Tantrum" for many reasons. It's a calmer song than "Tantrum" and this might not have been intended - maybe it was, I don't know - but when a kid has a tantrum people sometimes call them a crybaby. I think that was smart, intended or not. This is the shortest song on the album. I don't think somber is the right word, but if this song was a color, it would be blue. It's gloomy. Or maybe that's just how I feel when I listen to this song. Like I imagine this could be a good song to listen to on a rainy day. Some people have pointed out that this song, while not directly, does talk about depression. The line that sticks out to me that may allude to depression is "Maybe I can sleep through my mood 'til June". Seasonal depression is a thing. And it's mostly in the winter, so this person wants to sleep through winter and wake up in a better mental state. If only it was that easy. Then the line "Do your eyes miss my name / When you check on your texts, or not?" makes me think this takes place after a break-up. "Nothing, nothing good comes from late night thinking" is the truest of words. Late night is the most dangerous time to let your mind wander. I should know, I am a night owl. My mind only wanders at night. "Don't you know it's gloom boy season" is referencing an older Waterparks song "Gloom Boys". Apparently, it was also confirmed that "gloom boy season" is winter and gloom obviously goes hand and hand with sadness and depression. So it ties back up with the line "Maybe I can sleep through my mood 'til June". It's a good song. I wouldn't say it's my favorite, but it's good. 10/10 would recommend.

10. "Sleep Alone"

One day. One day Blogger will fix this problem. Firstly, before I get into the lyrics let me just talk about that guitar solo part thing that I don't even know what to call it BUT WE STAN AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM PLAY THIS SONG LIVE! Now that's I've got that out of my system let's talk about how this song has me feeling a type of way. I don't think it's a love song because there are certain lyrics that makes me think this is after a break-up. So maybe it's a person telling their now ex, that they still love them and they'll still be there for them. I don't know. The lines "You hold me by my heart and you wear my soul / Last week showed me I'm scared to be all alone" is what makes me think this is after a break-up or even a fight. Or maybe I'm wrong and this is about a long distance relationship. What makes me doubt myself is "I feel dead and a half, but you're making me laugh". I don't even know how to explain the chorus. This is probably going to be the worst part of the whole blog. While I don't fully understand the context and mood of the song, I give it five gold stars and think you should listen to it.

This post took three days to write because going through every single lyric of this album kept breaking my heart and making me sad and I kept having to take breaks for my own mental health - which has been doing significantly better since I fell in love with this band. Again, I'll say it, I want someone to give Awsten Knight a hug for me. Some of the songs on this album came from a dark and heartbroken place and I really truly hope he is at a better place mentally now.

Also please let it be known that everytime I type "Awsten" it wants to correct it to "Western".

I know I mostly mentioned Awsten in this post,  but from my understanding, he does most of the song-writing. If I'm wrong, I'm sorry.

I love Geoff and Otto too. I would have talked more about the music if I knew how to talk about music. I tried mentioning little things here and there, but I am not a music critic. I have fan guilt which is why I'm ending the post like this.

I love every member of this band equally. I just have more of a soft spot for Awsten because he is the reason I even checked out this band in the first place. I talk about it in the Waterparks post so go check that out. Here's the link again. I always have a permanent soft spot for the person who attracted me to every band I love. Even if they end up not being my favorite member in the end.

No, I don't have a favorite member of Waterparks. Don't ask. They're one of only 5 bands where I don't pick favorites.

So that's my thoughts on Entertainment. Go listen to it. Support this band. Love them. Go see them on tour if you can. I am.