Some Things Don’t Wash Out

Washington D.C. six-piece, You, Me and Everyone We Know (YMAEWK) are simply unique. With almost as many changes in their line-up as Taking Back Sunday in the last 3 years, a constant run of bad luck, and a shockingly small fan base, they have still been able to produce one of the best albums in the contemporary pop-punk scene.

Fronted by the charismatic, yet troubled Ben Liebsch, on first appearance, most would question how this nerdy, “average Joe” could lead any band. However, as soon as Liebsch opens his mouth, it becomes apparent; Liebsch has an incredible voice. An album that has been three years in the making, in the build up to which, YMAEWK were plagued by, in Liebschs’ own words: ‘Van fires, horrible management, member changes, bad song writing due to the aforementioned stresses, and so on’. Despite this, it would seem that the same misfortunes that disrupted the writing-process, has equally served to fuel the emotion behind _Wash Out_.

The powerful and bouncy track ‘Shock and Awe’, is a perfect opening to the album, and sets the tone for the “F*CK YOU!” attitude that Liebsch seems to have developed. The declaration of war made by YMAEWK should be taken seriously and is understandable, when the band is not gaining the kudos they deserve. In an industry that constantly seems to pass over those that merit it, and instead rave about the manufactured Miley Cyrus-esque trash that is spat out every couple of years by We the Kings and Forever the Sickest Kids. YMAEWK’s desperation to set them apart from the rest comes as no surprise. With direct lyrical attacks upon old record label executives (“You screwed our fans, so we screwed you!”), you know straight from the off that YMAEWK have had enough of being pushed around.

_Wash Out_, shows that Liebsch has not lost his lyrical ability, filled with funny and ironic lines that makes the album such a joy to listen to. Yet Liebsch is no longer dwelling on his history of alcohol and drug abuse. Instead Liebsch’s tumultuous past is being used to show his fans that he’s over these issues, with ‘A Bigger Point of Pride’ highlighting how his heart is fully set on producing the clever power-pop that he loves.

Furthermore, after finally securing a steady lineup, YMAEWK isn’t just a one man show; the addition of John Farrell on trumpet provides a whole new, refreshing dynamic to the band’s sound, particularly throughout ‘The Next 20 Minutes’. The metaphorical icing on the cake is the support of the constant switching between soothing backing vocals and the echoing screams of the other band members, which despite the change in line-up, remain a trademark of YMAEWK.
‘A Little Bit More’, does incredibly well to standout amongst an album of all killer, no filler and perfectly captures Liebsch & Co’s plea that if you “Trust in what we started”, then they certainly can “get this right”. _Wash Out_ speaks for itself, and after one listen, the upbeat, fast-paced, and most importantly fun sound that runs throughout, leaves YMAEWK with one of the most impressive debut albums to date.