Top tracks — play these first
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Gold Steps — This track encapsulates the album's spirit with its upbeat tempo and motivational lyrics, emphasizing perseverance through challenges.
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Can't Kick Up the Roots — A fan favorite that blends catchy hooks with thoughtful reflections on home and identity, making it a standout anthem for young adults.
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Smooth Seas Don’t Make Good Sailors — This song features poignant lyrics about navigating life's struggles, showcasing the band's ability to balance catchy melodies with deeper themes.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album effectively blends energetic punk rock with introspective themes, though it has some pacing issues in its latter half.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album maintains a high energy level with fast tempos and driving guitar riffs, while the second half introduces more introspective tracks that slow down the pace.
- Several songs feature dual vocal lines, allowing for a dynamic interplay between lead and backing vocals, enhancing the emotional delivery.
- The lyrics often address themes of resilience and mental health, creating a narrative thread that connects many of the tracks.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
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
- energetic anthems for youth
- steady pacing for active listening
- cathartic release of frustration
- sing-along moments with friends
- reflective themes of resilience
Maybe skip if you
- prefer slow, sounds
- dislike energetic, upbeat tracks
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on August 14, 2015, 'Life's Not Out to Get You' was Neck Deep's second studio album. Following their debut 'Wishful Thinking,' this record solidified their presence in the pop-punk scene and showcased their growth as songwriters amidst a burgeoning fanbase.
- Stylistic neighbors
- State Champs· The Wonder Years· Real Friends
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Gold Steps
The bridge shifts from an upbeat tone to a more reflective stance on facing adversity head-on.
This lyrical transition emphasizes resilience, highlighting the contrast between optimism and reality through its dynamic shift in mood.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Citizens of Earth 2:40
- 2 Threat Level Midnight 2:46
- 3 Can’t Kick Up the Roots 2:49
- 4 Kali Ma 2:50
- 5 Gold Steps 3:12
- 6 Lime St. 3:19
- 7 Serpents 2:45
- 8 The Beach Is for Lovers (Not Lonely Losers) 3:04
- 9 December 3:38
- 10 Smooth Seas Don’t Make Good Sailors 3:05
- 11 I Hope This Comes Back to Haunt You 2:49
- 12 Rock Bottom 3:20
- 13 December (full band version) 3:36
- 14 Can’t Kick Up the Roots (acoustic) 2:50
- 15 Lime St. (acoustic) 3:14
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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