Explains It All
Four Year Strong · 2009
33 min · 11 tracks · punk rock
Energetic pop-punk anthems blend catchy hooks with raw, heartfelt lyrics, creating a landscape of youthful exuberance and nostalgia.
Top tracks — play these first
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Absolutely (Story of a Girl) — This track captures the essence of early 2000s nostalgia with its infectious chorus and playful lyrics while paying tribute to a classic alternative hit.
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Ironic — The band's rendition of this Alanis Morissette classic cleverly transforms the original's angst into a lively pop-punk anthem, showcasing their signature style.
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Semi Charmed Life — With its upbeat tempo and clever reinterpretation of Third Eye Blind's hit, this track highlights Four Year Strong's knack for blending humor with heartfelt themes.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album combines energetic covers with original material, creating a solid but familiar pop-punk sound.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent mid-tempo pace across its first eight tracks, with the final three tracks slowing down significantly.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- nostalgic sing-alongs with friends
- short bursts of energetic fun
- for road trip playlists
- front-loaded excitement and hooks
Maybe skip if you
- prefer slow, contemplative music
- seek long, immersive experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in early 2009, Explains It All is Four Year Strong's third studio album, following their breakthrough record, Rise or Die Trying. At this point, the band had solidified their presence in the pop-punk scene, building on their previous successes while expanding their sound and fan base.
- Stylistic neighbors
- A Day to Remember· The Wonder Years· New Found Glory
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 So Much for the Afterglow 2:50
- 2 Absolutely (Story of a Girl) 2:55
- 3 Ironic 2:48
- 4 Bullet with Butterfly Wings 3:04
- 5 Semi Charmed Life 3:29
- 6 Spiderwebs 3:03
- 7 Roll to Me 2:26
- 8 Fly 3:48
- 9 In Bloom 3:34
- 10 She Really Loved You 2:00
- 11 She's so High 3:20
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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