Around the World and Back
Studio album by
State Champs
ReleasedOctober 16, 2015 (2015-10-16)
RecordedFebruary–March 2015
GenrePop punk
Length36:15
LabelPure Noise
ProducerKyle Black, Derek Discanio, Howard Benson
State Champs chronology
The Finer Things
(2013)		 Around the World and Back
(2015)		 Living Proof
(2018)
Singles from Around the World and Back
  1. "Secrets"
    Released: July 16, 2015
  2. "Losing Myself"
    Released: August 9, 2015
  3. "All You Are Is History"
    Released: September 1, 2015
  4. "Slow Burn"
    Released: March 30, 2017

Around the World and Back is the second studio album by American pop punk band State Champs.

Background

On February 13, the State Champs began recording their next album. Recording lasted for 38 days.[1] On March 27, it was announced that the group had finished recording.[2]

Release

In April and May 2015, the group supported All Time Low on their headlining US tour.[3] They supported 5 Seconds of Summer on their headlining arena tour in Australia and New Zealand.[4] On July 16, Around the World and Back was announced for release ion October., revealing its track listing and artwork. In addition, "Secrets" was made available for streaming.[5] In July and August, the group embarked on a headlining US tour, dubbed The Shot Boys of Summer Tour. They were supported by Hit the Lights, Tiny Moving Parts, Let It Happen and Northbound.[6] On August 9, "Losing Myself" was made available for streaming.[7] On September 1, a music video was released for "All You Are Is History".[8] On September 29, the title-track was made available for streaming.[9] Around the World and Back was made available for streaming on October 12,[10] before being released on October 16 through Pure Noise Records.[5] In October and November, the group supported The Wonder Years on their headlining US tour.[11]

In May 2016, the group supported A Day to Remember on their Just Some Shows tour in the US.[12] In November and December, the group supported Sleeping with Sirens on their headlining US tour.[13] On March 31, 2017, "Slow Burn" was made available for streaming.[14] On April 19, the group released an acoustic version of "Secrets".[15] In April and May, the group went on a headlining US tour with support from Against the Current, With Confidence and Don Broco.[16] On May 5, the group released a deluxe edition of the album. It featured two acoustic versions of album tracks, two new songs, two live recordings and a DVD. It was promoted with "Slow Burn",[14] an acoustic version of "Secrets"[17] and "Hurry Up and Wait".[18] The DVD was made available for streaming on November 2.[19]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic83/100[20]
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk85/100
Alternative PressFavorable[21]
Exclaim!8/10 [22]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5[23]
Substream Magazine[24]

The album has received generally positive reviews from critics. Most critics cite Derek Discanio's vocals, and the album's overall sound. The band's inclusion of orchestration on tracks, the album's title track which features Ansley Newman of Jule Vera, and the production are noted as highlights. The record has drawn multiple comparisons to the work of genre albums like New Found Glory, A Day to Remember, and All Time Low.

Writing for Alternative Press, Evan Lucy praised the growth the band have showed since their debut. Lucy went on to say, "a new level of nuance and polish (is shown) here thanks to songwriting skills that are certainly a few notches more developed than many bands (in) their senior."[21]

Davery Boy of Sputnikmusic, also wrote a positive review. He commended the band's ability to write catchy hooks and gave particular praise to "All or Nothing" and its fusion of the band's pop punk and alternative rock. Boy went on to write, "The quintet still perform pop punk better than many of their contemporaries...this LP sounds significantly more effective when played out loud, rather than through head or earphones....But it's difficult to ignore the feeling that they are capable of more."[23]

Upon its release, the album peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard 200, and #3 on both the US Alternative and Top Rock Charts. Around the World and Back was nominated for Album Of The Year and "Secrets" was nominated for Song Of The Year at the 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards.[25] The video for "Losing Myself" won the Music Video of the Year award at the 2017 Alternative Press Music Awards.[26]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Eyes Closed"3:09
2."Secrets"3:44
3."Losing Myself"3:17
4."All You Are Is History"3:02
5."Perfect Score"3:18
6."All or Nothing"3:39
7."Shape Up"2:44
8."Back and Forth"2:53
9."Around the World and Back"3:50
10."Breaking Ground"3:42
11."Tooth and Nail"2:57
Deluxe edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Elevated" (live)3:30
13."All You Are Is History" (live)2:58
14."Losing Myself" (acoustic)3:11
15."Secrets" (acoustic)3:54
16."Hurry Up and Wait"2:29
17."Slow Burn"3:08

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 31
Scottish Albums (OCC)[28] 79
UK Albums (OCC)[29] 78
US Billboard 200[30] 30
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[31] 5
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[32] 3
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[33] 3

References

  1. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (February 13, 2015). "State Champs enter studio to record new album". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  2. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (March 27, 2015). "State Champs finish recording new album". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on March 31, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  3. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (January 13, 2015). "Issues, Tonight Alive, State Champs to open All Time Low's spring headlining tour". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  4. ↑ Major, Nick (May 4, 2015). "5 Seconds of Summer and State Champs are touring Australia this Summer". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Sharp, Tyler (July 16, 2015). "State Champs announce new album with "Secrets" single". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on September 14, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  6. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (May 20, 2015). "State Champs announce headlining tour with Hit The Lights, Tiny Moving Parts, more". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  7. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (August 9, 2015). "State Champs stream new single, "Losing Myself"". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  8. ↑ Leak, Brian (September 1, 2015). "State Champs release video for new single, "All You Are Is History"". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  9. ↑ Leak, Brian (September 29, 2015). "State Champs offer an acoustic duet with "Around The World And Back"". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  10. ↑ Crane, Matt (October 12, 2015). "Stream State Champs' new album, 'Around The World And Back' (exclusive)". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on November 13, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  11. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (August 10, 2015). "The Wonder Years announce tour with Motion City Soundtrack, State Champs, You Blew It!". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  12. ↑ Emily (February 3, 2016). "A Day To Remember Announce U.S. Shows With Parkway Drive And State Champs". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  13. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (August 15, 2016). "Sleeping With Sirens announce tour with State Champs, Tonight Alive, Waterparks". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  14. 1 2 Dickman, Maggie (March 31, 2017). "Listen to State Champs' addictive new song, "Slow Burn"". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  15. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (April 19, 2017). "Listen to State Champs' summer-ready, acoustic version of "Secrets"". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  16. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (December 14, 2016). "State Champs announce tour with Against The Current, With Confidence and Don Broco". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  17. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (April 19, 2017). "Listen to State Champs' summer-ready, acoustic version of 'Secrets'". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  18. ↑ "State Champs release new song off deluxe release, 'Hurry Up And Wait'—listen". Alternative Press. May 5, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  19. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (November 2, 2017). "Watch State Champs' 'Around The World And Back' DVD online right now". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. Archived from the original on December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Metacritic: Around the World and Back - State Champs". Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  21. 1 2 Lucy, Evan. "State Champs - Around the World and Back Again Review". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  22. ↑ Zorgdrager, Bradley. "State Champs Around the World and Back". Exclam!. Archived from the original on 2016-04-25.
  23. 1 2 Boy, Davey. "Review: State Champs - Around the World and Back". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  24. ↑ Defever, Landon. "State Champs "Around the World and Back" filled to the brim with catchy hooks and fresh ideas". Substream Magazine. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  25. ↑ Whitt, Cassie (March 18, 2016). "Here are the nominees for the 2016 AP Music Awards!". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  26. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (July 18, 2017). "State Champs' 'Losing Myself' wins Music Video Of The Year at the 2017 APMAs". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – State Champs – Around the World and Back". Hung Medien.
  28. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  29. ↑ "State Champs | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  30. ↑ "State Champs Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  31. ↑ "State Champs Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  32. ↑ "State Champs Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  33. ↑ "State Champs Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
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