Soft and Music

Who: Mayday Parade
Album: ‘A Lesson in Romantics’
Hails From: Tallahassee, FL
For Fans of: Fall Out Boy and the Starting Line

Why They’re About to Pop: Mayday Parade writes songs that bring out the addict in all of us. Their catchy pop vocals, slap-in-the-face lyrics and bright, uptempo melodies are enough to send you to rehab for OD’ing on their debut album, ‘A Lesson in Romantics.’ A year ago, the Floridian quintet defined “hustle,” as they followed the Vans Warped Tour in a van, playing the parking lots of each venue and spreading the word about their music. This summer, their album debuted at No. 9 on Billboard’s Alternative New Artist Chart, and the boys were invited to play a legitimate slot on Warped, proving that hard work does indeed pay off.

Listen to ‘When I Get Home, You’re So Dead’ by Mayday Parade

Three Questions with Mayday Parade drummer Jake Bundrick:

What inspired the songs on ‘A Lesson in Romantics’?

Heartbreak, being in love, being without love and being on the road really set the mood for this record. You always want to be somewhere you can’t be while on the road — hence the reason why we write the songs we do.

What’s your favorite song on the album?

I have a couple of favorite songs on this record for different reasons, depending on my mood. For my happy mood, I love to listen to ‘Take This to Heart’ because it’s about coming home to someone you love. My sad mood song is definitely the tongue twister, ‘You Be the Anchor That Keeps My Feet on the Ground, I’ll Be the Wings That Keep Your Heart in the Clouds.’

What did you think life as a musician would be like when you first started out, and how does it compare to what it’s really like for you now?

When I first started out, it was about figuring out how to get signed. I still haven’t figured that part out. There are still a lot of unknown bands out there that haven’t been heard, but deserve to be. Now that we’re touring internationally, I’m trying to figure out how to sell records and get our music heard by the masses.Things are much easier for sure. Having a label behind you pushing your music in every place they possibly can really helps. Plus, it’s nice to know you have someone behind you 100 percent. We love our label and we wouldn’t trade our decision to go with them for anything. They’re willing to work as hard as we do, and that’s all we could ask for. But as far as music itself, it’s the same. It’s just my job now. Excuse me, I mean, the best job I’ve ever had.