Grayscale hit the scene in 2013 with the basic, yet solid pop punk album Leaving before crafting one of the absolute best albums of the 2010’s, Adornment, in 2017. Fans of the band and in the pop punk community were ecstatic when the band announced their follow-up, Nella Vita, would be released later this year. As a major fan of Adornment, I was wary. There was no way they could top that album , but wow, do they ever. Every song on Nella Vita crafts a musical story that will keep us emo kids miserably happy for years to come.
The album kicks off just right with “Just Right,” a poppy contradiction. The musical composition is uplifting and fun, but as you realize what lead singer Collin Walsh is implying lyrically, about “taking things back to the start,” your heart drops. It’s about wanting to be with someone again you never got closure on. The heartache continues with the previously released “Baby Blue,” a song about people in love who shouldn’t be. Again, poppy music mixes brilliantly with heartbreaking lyrics to craft a masterpiece (and my favorite song of 2019).
Heartbreak isn’t the only aspect of Nella Vita (which translates to “In Life” from Italian), however. Addiction (“Painkiller Weather”), growing up (“YOUNG”), hometown’s (“Asbury”) and suicide (“Tommy’s Song”) play a heavy part here.
What Grayscale does best on this record is take these lyrics that would make the happiest person sad and blend them with poppy, fun dance music that would make the saddest person swing their hips. First and foremost, Grayscale is a pop punk band, but here they mix other genres, such as pop, electronica and even a bit of heavy metal. Bands need to change and adapt, even when people say they shouldn’t. Unlike say, Fall Out Boy, Grayscale takes their roots and combine them with what modern audiences want.
Nella Vita is an amazing follow-up to Adornment, something I did not foresee. The best part is, it is so different, that comparing the two is impossible. They’re great albums but a great band, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the genre and the band itself. Listen to it now!
