A Common Year

I'd like to welcome Lara to the mix in posting. She will be posting a few times a week on some of her favorite bands, which I know that most of them are great. 

"2011 is, in fact, a common year." Indianopolis-based unsigned band A Common Year released their debut LP Between Cities a year ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a consistent, emotional, honest album, from start to finish. The first half more energertic and upbeat, the second half more laid-back and acoustic, with keeping the theme of confusing relationships and heartbreak throughout. But don't be fooled - it's not an album of sappy love songs. The lyrics hit hard and we can all relate and make it our own. Take the chorus of "Don't Take Me Seriously" as an example: 'Don't take me seriously when I'm acting like a fool, it's a state I'm going through."


The bands' influences, which they state themselves, are obvious too - Jimmy Eat World and Brand New. A Common Year mix both pop punk and indie into their music with simple yet effective lyrics. For this reason, I could not leave Between Cities out of my Top 10 Albums of 2010.

I'm telling you that they're a band to watch out for this year, not only because of how well-received Between Cities was (AbsolutePunk gave it 80%, Alter the Press! included the song "A Final Word" in one of their compilations), but also because this year, A Common Year will release a new EP and to say that I am "stoked" would simply be an understatement. I am expecting great things from these guys. Not only that, but the band will finally be pressing physical copies of Between Cities - don't you want one? But for now, the band has generously posted the entire album for free on their website.

Their bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter and Last.FM links can all be found here.