Anyone familiar with emo and its various offshoots during the mid aughts can immediately recognize that distinctive Long Island sound– sugary sing-a-long pop hooks with a deliberate nod to the hardcore roots that dominated the scene in the mid-to-late 90’s. Bands like Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, and Glassjaw effectively defined that Long Island sound from a commercial success perspective, but bands like The Movielife played a pivotal role in helping to develop the scene and give it significant depth outside of the main card headliners. This Time Next Year has always been the most iconic album from The Movielife for me for that reason– you can hear the emergence of the pop punk direction they’d gravitate towards later in their career with their most critically acclaimed album Forty Hour Train Back to Penn, but at their core The Movielife was a melodic hardcore band that cleverly disguised their penchant for piss and vinegar with a few sing-a-long hooks. From standouts like the title track “This Time Next Year” to the always boisterous “Pinky Swear”, The Movielife wore their heart on their sleeve and made sure you knew damn well where they stood on whatever topic they chose to write about. And as a young teen hearing their stories for the first time during middle school, it was easy to relate.
Standout Songs: “This Time Next Year”, “Self-Destruct”, “Pinky Swear”, “Another Friend”
