Hi guys! How’s it going with you? You’ve just released your fourth album, ‘Stories For Monday’. I absolutely love it! How has the reaction been to it so far?

We didn’t have any expectations, since this album almost never happened. It’s a beautiful thing. The response has been unanimously positive and that’s really spectacular.

I feel like this might be your best album yet. How do you guys feel about it? How was the writing and recording process?

I feel like it might be our best album yet too! Very proud of this one. We took our time making this album. I did a lot of travelling. I saw the world in ways I always wanted to and it was inspiring. I saw myself differently. I lost myself too. I think I’ve grown a ton as a songwriter. These songs are very honest. We then sat down at home in LA and John and Stephen produced the album. It’s the truest album we’ve ever made sonically, because we did this ourselves. I think for the first time ever, we figured out what we really sound like.

On first track ‘Figure Me Out’, it sounds like you had some doubts about yourself and music, and there were rumours that you broke up in 2015. Is there any truth in the rumours? And how are things with The Summer Set now?

The rumours were definitely true. I got really lost within myself when we were writing this album. Apathetic, if you will. At one point last September we sat down as a band and thought maybe we had run our course. We decided we would finish our record ourselves with what we had, and give it back to our fans one last time. We let our guard down and made an album we were insanely proud of. It was a silver lining and the best thing that’s ever happened to us. We realised it wasn’t time to get off this ride yet, and that we were really proud of this album.

There are some ridiculously catchy tracks on the record. Do you have any particular favourite songs? (I know that’s like asking a parent to name their favourite baby, but still).

I think ‘Figure Me Out’, because it’s the most honest and cathartic and really shows where I’m at in my life, and ‘Jean Jacket’ because it’s timeless and shows the most growth amongst our band.

Where were you at when you were writing the lyrics for this record? Are there any common themes throughout for you?

I did a lot of travelling during the writing process for this album. Mexico a few times, cross country road trips to Nashville. I spent a lot of time in New York. I even spent a week in Alaska alone. This is an album about finding yourself and I found little bits of me everywhere. It’s an album about hope, desire, and being lost in your mid twenties. It’s an album about stories.

You’re coming over to the UK next month for a headline tour. I’m super psyched. How are you feeling about it? How do you usually find playing in the UK?

We love the UK! It’s our second home. This is the longest we’ve gone without being there actually. It’s probably the bit of our tour that I’m the most excited about. I’ve missed you guys.

You’ve also got a lot of US dates this month and next. How do you find life on the road?

I was born for life on the road. I love waking up in a different city every day. Seeing things that are familiar and also brand new in every place I go. We have friends and familiar places all over the world at this point. Everywhere is home.

You’ve also been confirmed for Warped Tour, which is awesome. How do you find Warped? Is it true that it’s like band bootcamp?

We’re only doing the last 11 dates. I don’t think I could handle doing the whole thing this year with the schedule we’ve got. It’s definitely a punk rock summer camp circus. The camaraderie is unlike anything else. We’re happy to be back.

Have you got any plans for the rest of 2016 or is it too early to announce?

You’ll see! Lots of touring. Revisiting places we’ve missed.

LAIS MW

With already three pretty successful albums under their belt there’s no denying that you’ll be expecting three things from their long-awaited fourth album; catchy hooks, storytelling lyrics and dance-ready anthems. Luckily you’ll get all of this on ‘Stories For Monday’ but you’ll also get a whole lot more. For starters vocalist Brian Dales moves away from penning down his heartbreak and lost love and instead rejoices his past as more of a warming memory than a regret in tracks ‘Figure Me Out’ and ‘Missin’ You’.

Venturing into new territory ‘Jean Jacket’ conquers new horizons with the addition of a very The 1975-esque sax solo, giving the album (as well as the track) an unexpected maturity and whole new vibe for the band. Though not to fear that the party-ready quintet have abandoned their beloved sound which they’ve crafted over the years, The Summer Set revisit similar sounds heard on 2009’s ‘Love Like This’ and 2013’s ‘Legendary’ with big choruses on ‘When The Party Ends (Can’t Hardly Wait)’ and catchy gang vocals on ‘All My Friends’.

Though not without its blandest moments, ‘Stories For Monday’ takes a dip with ‘Wonder Years’. A ballad which shows a softer side to the album and a chance for listeners to catch a breath, but it does stutter the fluent pace created throughout the album so far. However on the plus side it does highlight that the quality of Dales as a songwriter hasn’t been substituted for an addictive alternative.

Evidently there’s a reoccurring message of positivity throughout the record and this is especially relevant to track ‘All Downhill From Here’ but even more so with record closer ‘Wasted’. The track (which has a slight resemblance to 2013’s ‘Rescue’) is a great insight to the youth of not only Dales but the entire band growing up in Arizona. The echoing of gang vocals along with drummer Jess Bowen sway-inducing percussion brings the closing of ‘Stories for Monday’ to a great high.

For an album that nearly wasn’t ‘Stories For Monday’ is a move away from living legendary and searching for fictional yellow umbrellas and a step towards reality. From Dales instantly ego-checking himself in ‘Figure Me Out’ to the festive and uplifting ‘Wasted’, ‘Stories For Monday’ may be more honest than usual but The Summer Set haven’t lost their enthusiasm which began with 2009’s ‘Love Like This’.

Produced by The Summer Set’s very own Stephen and John Gomez, ‘Stories For Monday’ may not demand all the attention in the room but it is a delightful reminder that we would have definitely missed The Summer Set in our lives if ‘Legendary’ was their swansong.

NICOLE TIERNAN

The label recently welcomed Californian post-hardcore outfit Movements too, who we’ve been excited about for some time now. With their online material being removed following the signing, we’re excited to see what 2016 has in store for the band.

Watch the Fearless Records trailer below, and keep an eye out for some major releases over the coming months.

Want to be in with a chance of winning? Tweet us at @punktastic and tell us why you deserve the tickets. Use the hashtag #PTSummerSet. Good luck!

And if you miss out on winning, click this link to buy tickets.

APRIL
12 LEEDS Cockpit
13 SHEFFIELD Corporation
15 NEWCASTLE Academy 2
16 GLASGOW King Tuts
17 MANCHESTER Academy 3
18 BIRMINGHAM Academy 2
19 BRISTOL Hit The Deck Festival
20 NOTTINGHAM Hit The Deck Festival
22 PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms
23 LONDON O2 Islington Academy