''Something to Write Home About'' is the second studio album by American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

the Get Up Kids The Get Up Kids are an American rock band from Olathe, Kansas. Formed in 1995, the band was a major player in the mid-1990s Midwest emo scene, otherwise known as the " second wave" of emo music. Their second album '' Something to Write Home Abo ...

, released on September 28, 1999, through

Vagrant Records Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California. It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is hom ...

and the band's own label Heroes & Villains Records. Following the promotional tours for their debut album '' Four Minute Mile'' (1997), the band were in discussion with

Mojo Records Mojo Records was a California-based record label founded in 1995 by producer Jay Rifkin. It became a joint venture with Universal Records in 1996 and then sold to the Zomba Group in 2001, who placed it under their subsidiary Jive Records.

. During this period,

James Dewees James Matthew Dewees (born March 13, 1976) is an American musician best known for his work with The Get Up Kids, Reggie and the Full Effect and My Chemical Romance. He has also been involved in other musical projects including New Found Glory, Co ...

joined as the band's keyboardist. As negotiations with the label eventually stalled, they eventually went with Vagrant Records. They recorded their next album at Mad Hatter Studios in

Silver Lake, Los Angeles Silver Lake is a residential and commercial Neighbourhood, neighborhood in the east-Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles, California. Originally home to a small community called Ivanhoe in honor of Walter Scott, Sir Walter Scott. In ...

, California, co-producing it with

Chad Blinman Chad Blinman is an American recording engineer and mixer, music producer, and electronic musician. He has worked with such artists as Face to Face, The Get Up Kids, Saves the Day, Jackson United, Faith and the Muse, Monica Richards, Senses Fa ...

and Alex Brahl. Described as an

emo Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...

and

pop-punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti- suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other p ...

album, ''Something to Write Home About'' expands on the harder edge of its predecessor, with frontman Matt Pryor citing the works of the Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World and

Wilco Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently d ...

as influences. ''Something to Write Home About'' received generally favourable reviews from

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

, with many praising the songwriting, while others criticized the lyrics. The album was a commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies, and peaking at number 31 on the '' Billboard'' Heatseekers Albums chart in the United States. The band promoted it with a European tour and a US tour with

At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...

until the end of 1999. " Action & Action" was released as the

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

from the album. Later that year, the band toured across Australia, Japan, Europe, ending with a headlining US tour; in early 2001 they supported Green Day and

Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing ...

. The success of ''Something to Write Home About'' made Vagrant Records one of the major players in the fledgling

emo music Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...

scene, attracting bands like

Dashboard Confessional Dashboard Confessional is an American rock band from Boca Raton, Florida, led by singer Chris Carrabba. The name of the band is derived from the songThe Sharp Hint of New Tears off their debut album, '' The Swiss Army Romance''. History Early ...

Saves the Day Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1997. The band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, and bassist Rodrigo Palma. After forming under the name Sefler i ...

, and

Alkaline Trio Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Matt Skiba (vocals, guitar), Dan Andriano (vocals, bass) and Derek Grant (drums, vocals). Founded in late 1996 by Skiba, bassist Rob Do ...

to sign with them. It is often cited as one of the best albums of the second-wave movement of emo, and is cited as an influence on third wave acts like

Coheed & Cambria Coheed and Cambria are an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York, formed in 1995. The band consists of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitars, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), a ...

. Publications such as ''

Kerrang! ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...

'', '' LA Weekly'' and ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'', among others, have included the album on best-of lists for the emo and pop-punk genres. It was re-released as a CD and DVD set in 2008, and has been re-pressed on vinyl in 2015 and 2016; the 2015 version charted at number 16 on the ''Billboard''

Vinyl Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...

chart.

Background and writing

With the release of the '' Woodson'' EP in 1997, the Get Up Kids signed a two-album recording contract with independent label

Doghouse Records Doghouse Records is an American record label currently based in New York City.Alan O'Connor, ''Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy''. Lexington Books, 2008, p. 41Google Books/ref> The company was founded by Dirk Hemsath in late 1987 ...

. In June 1997, the group went on a tour of the United States, on which they became friends with

Coalesce Coalesce may refer to: *Coalesce (band), a metalcore band from Kansas City, Missouri, active from 1994 to 1999, 2005– **Coalesce discography, a list of Coalesce's albums and songs * COALESCE, an SQL function *Null coalescing operator, a binary o ...

. Shortly afterwards, their drummer,

, moved in with the bassist

Rob Pope Robert Pope is an American musician, best known as the bassist for Spoon and The Get Up Kids. History Rob Pope grew up in Olathe, Kansas. In the summer of 1994, he was in a band called "Kingpin" with his brother Ryan and future Get Up Kids band ...

and his brother, drummer

Ryan Pope Ryan Pope is an American musician who lives in Lawrence, Kansas. History Ryan Pope grew up in Olathe, Kansas. In the summer of 1994, he was in a band called "Kingpin" with his brother Rob and future The Get Up Kids bandmate Jim Suptic. After ...

. When the Get Up Kids went on tour, Dewees would look after the apartment. The group released their debut album, '' Four Minute Mile,'' in September 1997. It was supported by American and European tours between September 1997 and May 1998. The group then went on a break and spent the next few months writing material for their next record. Their next album, ''Four Minute Mile,'' sold over 40,000 copies, which attracted attention from various labels. The band, who wanted to leave Doghouse, began discussions with other labels, such as Geffen,

Vagrant Vagrancy is the condition of homelessness without regular employment or income. Vagrants (also known as bums, vagabonds, rogues, tramps or drifters) usually live in poverty and support themselves by begging, scavenging, petty theft, temporar ...

and

. Starting from December 1998, the group wrote a batch of new material as they were waiting for their deal with Mojo Records to be finalized. The Pope brothers' apartment had a piano that Dewees would often play; while the group were practising a song at the apartment, Dewees showed them a vocal harmony and piano part he had come up with. The group had wanted a keyboardist for sometime; with Coalesce having gone on hiatus during this period, Dewees joined as their keyboard player.

New label and recording

By April 1999, tired that the negotiations with Mojo Records had taken too long and eventually came to a halt, the band felt it wasn't the right time to be signing with a major. Vocalist/guitarist Matthew Pryor later revealed that the label's founder

Jay Rifkin Jay Rifkin is an American record and film producer. Rifkin co-founded the company Media Ventures with Hans Zimmer, a childhood friend. As CEO of the company from 1988, In June 1999, the band travelled from Kansas City, Missouri to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, California to record their next album. Before the group could start, Vagrant Records' co-owner Jon Cohen had to borrow money from his parents, who mortgaged their house in order to fund the sessions. The album was recorded over the course of six weeks in June and July 1999 at Mad Hatter Studios in

. The band would spend the daytime at the studio and spend nights at a friend's house. They produced the record themselves, with co-producers

and Alex Brahl, the latter of which did additional engineering. Blinman handled recording, while Dale Lawton served as an assistant. Blinman mixed the recordings, while the album was mastered by Ramon Breton at Oceanview Mastering. Several of the songs included were re-recorded from past releases: "Red Letter Day" from the ''Red Letter Day'' EP, " Ten Minutes" on a 7" vinyl for the Sub Pop Singles Club and "I'm a Loner Dottie, a Rebel" for a split release with Braid.

Composition and lyrics

''Something to Write Home About'' is an

and

album that takes influence from 1960s pop and 1980s new wave. Ian Cohen of '' Stereogum'' described the album in the context of the band's contemporaries: "Braid and

the Promise Ring The Promise Ring was an American rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that is recognized as part of the second wave of emo. Among various other EPs and singles, the band released four studio albums during their initial run: '' 30° Everywhere'' ...

were too quirky,

Saves The Day Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1997. The band currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, and bassist Rodrigo Palma. After forming under the name Sefler i ...

hadn’t quite shed their hardcore origins, and Texas Is The Reason and

Mineral In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. (2 ...

were too artsy and esoteric". He added that ''Something to Write Home About'' "occup edthat perfect nexus between punk, emo, indie rock, and pure power-pop". When making the album, the band tried to consciously expand their sound from the harder edge of ''Four Minute Mile''. Pryor cites

's '' Summerteeth'' (1999), Jimmy Eat World's ''

Clarity Clarity may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Clarity, a magic spell in the online game ''EverQuest'' * Clarity, a fictional drug from the film '' Minority Report'' Music Albums * ''Clarity'' (Jimmy Eat World album) ...

'' (1999) and the Foo Fighters' ''

The Colour and the Shape ''The Colour and the Shape'' is the second studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters, released on May 20, 1997, through Roswell and Capitol Records. It marked the official debut of the Foo Fighters as a band, as their eponymous 1995 de ...

'' as primary influences in writing new material. While the group had toyed with keyboards on ''Four Minute Mile'', they incorporated more of it with the inclusion of Dewees into the band. According to Pryor, they had been listening to

a lot and wanted more synthesizer parts, with Dewees being "such a talented piano player, he just sort of upped the ante." Dewees' keyboard parts recalled the work of Duran Duran, which ''PopMatters'' music critic Dave Meehan said "provide a melodic counterpoint to ..Suptic's thrashing and give the whole album a party-like-its-1983 feel". Pryor also began to branch out lyrically, including on “Red Letter Day,” which was written about the bands’ negative experiences with Dirk Hemsmath and Doghouse Records. In writing the album, the band was also more conscious of traditional pop song structure, focusing more on hooks and placing less emphasis on long instrumental sections. Ryan Pope made a conscious effort to restrain his drum parts on the album, emulating Charlie Watts and

Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America". Howard Sounes. ''Dow ...

, stating that it was more "important to maybe make some sacrifices for the tune instead of pounding away and thinking of yourself as an individual player." Pryor would later remark that he wished the songs were tuned a

half-step A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest interval (music), musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most Consonance and dissonance#Dissonance, dissonant when sounded harmonically ...

or a

whole step In Western music theory, a major second (sometimes also called whole tone or a whole step) is a second spanning two semitones (). A second is a musical interval encompassing two adjacent staff positions (see Interval number for more de ...

down as he was yelling at the top of his vocal range throughout the album. The album's title, ''Something to Write Home About'', was suggested by Suptic. The opening fast-paced track "Holiday" starts with a guitar

pick slide A pick slide or pick scrape is a guitar technique most often performed in the rock, punk or metal music genres. The technique is executed by holding the edge of the pick against any of the three or four wound strings and moving it along the s ...

; Meehan said "Action and Action" was "another done-me-wrong, finger-pointing tale". Niko Stratis of '' Spin'' referred to "Valentine" as a "perfect snapshot of the way any distance, emotional or physical, feels oceanic in scope". The acoustic "Out of Reach" crescendos into a piano-led

torch song A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affect ...

. The

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and c ...

song "Ten Minutes" is a homage to be stuck in traffic on the way to a lover's residence, and features Suptic on lead vocals. "The Company Dime" features

call-and-response Call and response is a form of interaction between a speaker and an audience in which the speaker's statements ("calls") are punctuated by responses from the listeners. This form is also used in music, where it falls under the general category of ...

vocals during the chorus sections; "My Apology" is a mid-tempo song. "I'm a Loner Dottie, a Rebel" discusses the aftermath of a one-night stand, while its title is a quote from '' Pee-wee's Big Adventure'' (1985). The country-esque "Close to Home" is followed by the album's closing song "I'll Catch You"; the latter opens with a piano part and sees a person talking with someone they admire.

Release and promotion

In August and September 1999, the group went on a European tour; the tour was planned to last a month, however, the group only got to play six shows over eight days. Following this, the band appeared at the CMJ MusicFest. ''Something to Write Home About'' was released on September 28 through Vagrant and Heroes & Villains Records. The vinyl version was released through Doghouse Records. The Japanese version included "Forgive and Forget" and a cover of "

Regret Regret is the emotion of wishing one had made a different decision in the past, because the consequences of the decision were unfavorable. Regret is related to perceived opportunity. Its intensity varies over time after the decision, in regard ...

" by New Order as bonus tracks, while the European version featured included a re-recorded version of "Forgive and Forget" and "Central Standard Time" (taken from a

split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, entertai ...

with

the Anniversary The Anniversary is an American band formed in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1997 by Josh Berwanger, James David, Christian Jankowski, Adrianne Verhoeven and Justin Roelofs. The Anniversary was the solidification of a line-up that had been in flux for ...

). The album's artwork is a painting that depicts two robots cuddling on a sofa. In October and November, the group went on a US tour with

. A music video was released for "Action & Action" through music retailer

Insound Insound was a discounted, online music store. Insound carried CD, vinyl, hard to find items, music accessories and merchandise. The company was located in New York, New York. History Insound was founded in 1998 by Christian Anthony, Matt Wishn ...

in December 1999. In February 2000, the Get Up Kids played a one-off show in Kansas before embarking on a Japanese tour. The band then went on a tour of Australia with

Jebediah Jebediah are an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1994 in Perth, Western Australia. They were formed by Chris Daymond on lead guitar, Kevin Mitchell (aka Bob Evans) on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, and Vanessa Thornton on bass guita ...

in March and April. The album was released through

Epitaph Europe Epitaph Records is an American independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most acts signed to the label were punk and pop punk acts, while there are many post-hardcore and emo band ...

in Europe on March 13. "Action & Action" was released as a single on March 24 in Europe with a demo of "I'm a Loner Dottie, I'm a Rebel" and a cover of

The Cure The Cure are an English rock band formed in 1978 in Crawley, West Sussex. Throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, guitarist, lead vocalist, and songwriter Robert Smith has remained the only constant member. The band's ...

's " Close to Me" as B-sides. The group went on a European tour in May and June with the Anniversary. In September and October, the band went on a headlining US tour with support from the Anniversary, Koufax and Jebediah. It was sponsored by the

peer-to-peer file sharing Peer-to-peer file sharing is the distribution and sharing of digital media using peer-to-peer (P2P) networking technology. P2P file sharing allows users to access media files such as books, music, movies, and games using a P2P software program th ...

network Napster, who had helped people discover the band and other Vagrant Records' acts. In January 2001, the group supported Green Day on their US tour, before supporting Weezer in February and March.

Reissues

In 2008, Pryor said that the group was in discussions with Vagrant Records to re-release the album as a 10th anniversary package, including a DVD and photo booklet. In February 2009, Doghouse Records re-pressed the album on vinyl. The 10th anniversary edition was released on September 8, which included a DVD with a recording of their first show in a few years and a documentary on the making of the album. In addition, it included 7 downloadable demo recordings from the sessions. Doghouse has since re-pressed the album on vinyl twice more, in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Critical reception

''Something to Write Home About'' was met with generally favourable reviews from

upon release. '' Drowned in Sound'' writer James Skinner complimented the band members for "how brilliantly

hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...

play off each other," coupled with a "healthy dose of longing and you're halfway there in terms of understanding its appeal". Reviewing the album for MTV News, critic Kembrew McLeod wrote that the band are "certainly not purveyors of bubble-punk in the same mold as Green Day or

Blink-182 Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their sound has ...

, but they never forget the sheer pleasure that the right sequence of notes or the perfect harmony brings". ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'' contributor Rob Browning wrote that the album retaining the "edge of their Doghouse past, but sported cleaner production and more hooks than a tackle box". He went on to say that these "12 songs are the strongest body of works they had been able to muster prior or since". Meehan said the band offer "each song enough individual care to let them stand on their own while still bowing to the album's coherent feel and rush". The staff at ''

Impact Press ''IMPACT press'' was an Orlando, Florida-based magazine started in 1996 by Craig Mazer. IMPACT press ran for 10 years, printing its last issue in Spring 2006. Most of the articles were political in nature and usually supported the left and far lef ...

'' considered it superior to the band's debut, stating that the "tunes are absolutely absorbing, sucking you into the hooks, the energy, the drive, the music". '' Spin'' writer Andrew Beaujon found the band to be "peppy enough to make even a college sophomore feel old," adding that they sound "''exactly like'' Superchunk". Elmar Salmutter of ''

Ox-Fanzine ''Ox-Fanzine'' is a monthly punk zine from Solingen, Germany, founded in 1988. It is edited by Joachim Hiller and has had many contributors. Besides its focus on punk subculture, it also covers similar genres, reviews of comics, books and films, ...

'' said it was a "strong and varied record that's just right for the beginning of autumn". In a review for ''Consumable Online'', writer Kerwin So said in order to hear a "few pretty good songs, you have to wade through a deluge of sappy filler". ''

LAS Magazine ''LAS Magazine'', also known as ''Lost At Sea'' or ''LostAtSea.net'', is a daily online magazine founded in 1998 by Eric J Herboth. An online social group for the magazine list it in the "Entertainment & Arts - Online Media" category with a descr ...

'' founder Eric J. Herboth said that like their debut, Something was "complete bunk" aside from the two "great" songs "Red Letter Day" and "I'm a Loner Dottie, a Rebel". ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' Brent DiCrescenzo noted a lack of originality in the music, writing that "implementation of keyboards and acoustic guitars is predictable and unimpressive", calling the release "an entire album of songs which follow the same formula, yet never reach the quasi- memorable qualities of a radio hit."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

reviewer Zac Johnson noted that despite the band "struggling with stumbling relationships," they were still capable of "process ngthe complexities of their daily lives through music". Stevie Chick of ''

'' said that if the lyrics "sometimes seem a little clumsy or overwrought, that's all part of the package". DiCrescenzo referred to the words as "meaningless lyrics masquerading as poetic insight"; Nude as the News writer Ed Comstock felt the band had "regressed lyrically -- to such an extent that songs that are otherwise great are nearly ruined by lyrical banality". DiCrescenzo mentioned that the "clinical production scrubs the rock down to a smooth grain of clear sand". So thought it was a mistake to switch producers as the "entire record has a thoroughly bland, almost adult-contemporary texture to it". Comstock, on the other hand, noted an improvement of production from their first album. He mentioned that the addition of Dewees made the album come across as "predictable -- while some of the songs seemed more complete and polished, many have simply lost their edge". In a retrospective review, Mischa Pearlman of ''

Record Collector ''Record Collector'' is a British monthly music magazine. It was founded in 1980 and distributes worldwide. History The early years The first standalone issue of ''Record Collector'' was published in March 1980, though its history stretches ba ...

'' felt that the album "still holds up, its power and impact remaining as profound as ever". In a 2017 retrospective of '' Four Minute Mile'',

Vice Media Vice Media Group LLC is an American-Canadian digital media and broadcasting company. , the Vice Media Group included five main business areas: VICE.com (digital content); VICE STUDIOS (film and TV production) VICE TV (also known as VICELAND); ...

's Eduardo Cepeda called ''Something to Write Home About'' "a masterful follow-up to their unfussy debut." When reviewing the band's ''

Kicker Kicker or The Kicker may refer to: Sports * Placekicker, a position in American and Canadian football * ''Kicker'' (sports magazine), in Germany * Kicker, the German colloquial term for an association football player * Kicker, the word used i ...

'' EP, ''Pitchfork'' writer Ian Cohen wrote much more fondly about the album:

"Put aside the love songs, and their classic Something to Write Home About can be read as a concept album about the pressure of seeing then-fledgling indie label Vagrant literally bet the farm on their success. But they also wrote concisely and passionately about girls, heartbreak, and trouble with authority, thus setting the norms for 21st-century emo: While the band’s presentation and ethics were overtly punk, their songs harkened back to early rock’n’roll records that functioned as teen pop."

Commercial performance and legacy

''Something to Write Home About'' charted at number 31 on the '' Billboard'' Heatseekers Albums chart. By 2002, the album had sold 150,000 copies. In 2015, it charted at number 16 on the ''Billboard''

chart. The album's success was the first major breakthrough for

, and made the Get Up Kids the label's "flagship band", attracting other artists to sign with the company. The album has appeared on many best-of lists for the emo and pop-punk genres, by publications such as '' LA Weekly'',

Junkee Junkee is an Australian popular culture and news website run by new media company Junkee Media. It covers various topics including film, university, food, TV, politics, travel, career, health and Internet culture. Its target demographic is 18- to ...

, ''

'', and On the A Side, as well as by journalists Leslie Simon and Trevor Kelley in their book ''Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide to Emo Culture'' (2007). Similarly, "Action & Action" appeared on a best-of emo songs list by ''

Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

''. ''Spin'' featured both “I’ll Catch You” and “Valentine” on its list of the 40 best Emo love songs of all time. In 2014, as part of 10-year celebrations for

Riot Fest Riot Fest is an annual three-day punk rock music festival based in Chicago, Illinois, at Douglass Park. It is known for booking reunions, guest performances, and full album performances. Riot Fest remains one of the largest independently owned m ...

, the band performed the album in its entirety. In 2015, ''

Rock Sound ''Rock Sound'' is a British magazine that covers rock music. The magazine aims at being more " underground" and less commercial, while also giving coverage to better-known acts. It generally focuses on pop punk, post-hardcore, metalcore, punk, ...

'' included it in their 101 Modern Classics list at number 97. They later ranked it at number 102 on the list of best albums in their lifetime. ''

'' listed ‘’Something to Write Home About’’ as the 19th greatest pop-punk album of all time, and the 42nd best punk album of all time. ''Something to Write Home About'' is credited with establishing Vagrant Records as an emo music industry powerhouse. Acts such as

, and

all signed to the label because of the album's success. The album has been viewed as an important release for the second wave of emo, and an influence on the third wave of acts, such as

, while

Dan Campbell Daniel Allen Campbell (born April 13, 1976), nicknamed "Motor City Dan Campbell", or "MCDC" for short, is an American football coach and a former tight end who is the head coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He pr ...

the Wonder Years ''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age comedy/drama television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol Black. It ran on ABC from January 31, 1988, until May 12, 1993. The series premiered immediately after ABC's coverage of Super ...

has expressed admiration for it.

Track listing

All songs written by

Personnel

Personnel per booklet. The Get Up Kids *

Jim Suptic Jim Suptic (born October 14, 1977) is an American musician and entrepreneur, best known for being the guitarist for the rock band The Get Up Kids. Career The Get Up Kids Jim Suptic is best known for being the guitarist and sometime lead singer ...

– guitar, vocals *

– drums *

– keyboards, vocals *

– bass * Matthew Pryor – guitar, vocals Production and design * The Get Up Kids – producer *

– co-producer, recording, mixing * Alex Brahl – co-producer, additional engineer * Dale Lawton – assistant * Ramon Breton – mastering * Travis M Millard – cover painting, inside painting * Sam Spencer – design, layout

Charts

Original release Reissue

References

Citations Sources * * * * * * * *

External links

''Something to Write Home About''
at

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

(streamed copy where licensed) {{Authority control The Get Up Kids albums 1999 albums Vagrant Records albums