Who would’ve thought that twenty years later, this album would still be on high rotation? From the CD to mp3 to fully digital… what a ride for Simple Plan’s second album, Still Not Getting Any. The album that made me a fan. And I can honestly say that it still holds up as my favourite album ever.
Listening to the album from beginning to end is always a great joy. Every single track holds a special place in my heart.
Welcome to My Life, the song that made me a fan; Perfect World which is my all time favourite song ever; Shut Up! which we all wanna sing loudly to the haters; Untitled… the song that gained a subtitle when it became a single. How could that happen… to me? Jump that one song that hurts my knees now. Every song on this album just gets me going.
Over the years, I’ve loved other artists, bands, albums, songs, but Still Not Getting Any has not lost its charm throughout.
2022: the year Simple Plan released the best album they’ve ever released (bar Still Not Getting Any… ‘cos reasons)! HARDER THAN IT LOOKS – released: 6 May 2022
It’s been six long years of waiting for the diehard Simple Plan fan and let me tell you, the wait was definitely worth it. Harder Than It Looks is an album that all long term fans will absolutely love. And I don’t think it’s hyperbole to state that as fact.
Author in natural habitat 26.12.2022
It’s also been probably six long months of waiting to have the mental capacity to sit down and type up this review. I was planning on posting this after I first listened to it, however, life happened. But, even after this amount of time my initial thoughts still stand.
6.05.2022 – Harder Than It Looks is a tribute to what the band has created in their twenty-plus years of being a band. I feel like the album is a mix of every album they’ve released with some songs reminiscent of Still Not Getting Any whilst others vibe off the self-titled and GYHO. There is even one track, Best Day of My Life, that feels like it hearkens back to Pierre and Chuck’s Reset days, pre-SP. And then a couple of songs that have a fresh sound that the band hasn’t done yet, but still with a hint of the past echoing through them. It’s definitely a roller coaster ride that I don’t want to get off.
The songs that I loved after my first listen all the way through: Anxiety, Iconic, Slow Motion (and of course, Congratulations and The Antidote are firm faves too).
The timing of Harder Than It Looks could not be more appropriate. It came out just when another wave of a certain little virus went through where I lived, and I was a little overwhelmed by the day-to-day life. And a certain track from this new offering spoke eloquently of where I, and many others, were positioned mentally and emotionally. Anxiety is that song. I will let the lyrics speak for themselves.
The pressure comes, I can feel it now I’m just another tragic case of The only one I was missing out Comparisons I can’t escape from
All these voices circling my head (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh) I wish I was someone else instead ‘Cause it all just brings me down
Anxiety is killing me All of these expectations Are shaking up my sanity I’m getting so tired of faking now It’s all so much that I can’t breathe Thеre must be something wrong with mе Reality is killing me It’s giving me, anxiety
Get away, get away, get away, get away Get away from me Anxiety, anxiety
I try to run, gotta separate It’s everywhere, it’s all around me I try to sleep but I’m wide awake ‘Cause every dream is filled with envy
Let’s turn everything, everything off (Turn everything off) Don’t ever, don’t ever look back (Don’t ever look back) Let’s turn everything, everything off (Turn everything off) Don’t ever, don’t ever look back ‘Cause it all just brings me down
At the end of May I caught COVID-19 for the first time – yes, I’ve had it twice – and Simple Plan’s music was once again a great source of comfort, along with my faith in God, and my love for a certain composer… *cough*LinManuelMiranda*cough*. But, this post is about Simple Plan and their new album.
It’s been quite some time since I listened to the album for the first time, but here are my thoughts on the album as I listen to it for the umpteenth time, track-by-track.
Wake Me Up When This Nightmare’s Over – This track opens the whole album. The soft piano opening draws you in to listen and though it’s not a favourite of mine, it is a solid SP offering. The lyrics resonate as they can speak of specific circumstances, but at the same time are generic enough that each listener can relate it to their own circumstances – eg. “I can’t believe this mess we’re in / Tell me where do I begin? / ‘Cause it’s making my head spin / And I can just feel it.”
Ruin My Life (feat. Deryck Whibley) – Whenever the band feature other artists they always hit it right out of the park. I was never much of a fan of Sum41; however, his vocals fit well with this track. Ruin My Life is an anthem to all those bullies and naysayers who put one down in the past. An anthem to us rising above them and proving them wrong. (Sorry, I don’t mean to disappoint you, but you didn’t ruin my life.)
The Antidote– The first single the band released from the album, prior to the release. I fell in love with it from the first listen.
Anxiety – Pierre said this song was influenced by his own journey with debilitating anxiety and that is oddly comforting. Knowing that we are not alone in our struggles (lyrics are above)
Congratulations – This track is quintessentially SP. I really don’t have the words.
Slow Motion– “… one of those whiteboard ideas Chuck had… idea of love at first sight. … This is gonna sound silly, but when I hear this chorus, it just makes me want to cry. I was driving…and I was sitting in my car with tears coming down my face, and I’m like, ‘What is wrong with me? I’m listening to my own music and I’m crying in my car!’” – Pierre Bouvier
Two – From the general all encompassing song at the beginning to the extremely specific song about split homes this whole album is amazing. The band is not afraid to tackle difficult topics, but do it with their typical pop, rock and pop punk sensibilities with a few new flavours sprinkled throughout.
I love this album so much. I love this band so much.
Ten out of ten for always being my favourite band.
15 Years of Figuring Out What it Means to be a Fan of Simple Plan and Music in General
Loving a band is not for the faint of heart. Especially not long term. It is rife with varied emotions – joy, sorrow, disappointments, excitement, anxiety, happiness, anticipation – I could go on. It is worth it, though.
Late the next morning and I was sitting in the hotel restaurant with Bianca and David, Chuck and Pierre, resting after gorging ourselves on the breakfast buffet. Yes, I did say Pierre was there. Come on, it’s not like I could avoid him, right? Though after the previous night it would’ve been some relief, but Bianca had insisted I come and eat breakfast with her. I still hadn’t managed to talk to Pat about any of this, either. For some reason he wasn’t up early today…or perhaps that was by design. Continue reading ““Sleepy Perth.” (Bed Hair – Thirteen)”→
Pierre stood in the elevator, heading up to his room. Chuck and Patrick were with him. The three men weren’t looking at each other; Chuck was on his phone, checking the schedule for the next day; Patrick was leaning against the wall. But, it didn’t take long for someone to decide something needed to be said about the disaster which was the crew and band dinner. Continue reading ““Why does it matter?” (Bed Hair – Twelve)”→
Pierre is really, really good at fooling the public that he’s happy. That everything is fine in his life and he’s content and enjoying the moments with the band. But, tonight…everyone, and I mean everyone, got to see the real face of Pierre Charles Bouvier.
School holidays. Something safe to write about. As a relief teacher holidays are my time to refresh myself. To take a breather. I guess it helps me to recalibrate. These holidays are going to be quite a bit different and will encroach into term time, so, I won’t be available to relieve any classes. I’m still not sure how I feel about it all. It seems so sudden… Simple Plan, here, in Perth. Fools Rush In, supporting them on their national tour. I still can’t get my head around it.
Pierre. I don’t have words.
The others, it’s great to see them…
What am I going to tell Bianca and Mark and the rest of the guys? How do you tell them about a past that is hard for me to even think about?
Pierre stood quite still not sure what he was seeing. He knew what he was looking at. Whom he was seeing. But, he didn’t know if he wanted to believe it.
Chuck looked over at him, mouthing, “You okay, Pierre?”
“Look at these shirts, Marly!” Bianca said, at the top of her lungs. I wriggled the tip of my finger in my ear, making a face at her. She laughed, and said, “I wasn’t that loud.”
Pierre grunted as he tugged his bag from the back of the taxi. Pat was coming around the other side, phone tucked against his ear as he spoke in low tones. Pierre lifted his eyebrows at his long-time friend.
Marly's World 