Forever the Sickest Kids
Jonathan Cook- Vocals
Austin Bello- Bass/Vocals
Caleb Turman- Guitar/Vocals
Marc Stewart- Guitar
Kyle Burns- Drums

Forever the Sickest Kids’ forthcoming self-titled sophomore album almost happened by chance. The Texas five some, who have toured with bands like All Time Low, Good Charlotte, Boys Like Girls, Third Eye Blind, 3OH!3, released their much-loved debut Underdog Alma Mater in April of 2008, following its success in November of 2009 with the release of their mini-LP, The Weekend: Friday. While in the studio with producer David Bendeth in early 2010, the band realized that the songs were just too good for another mini-LP. “We felt like the music took such advancement for the better that we wanted to put it out on a full-length album,” Jonathan notes.

So over the course of the year, between touring in the States and overseas, FTSK wrote and demoed more new material, hoping to balance the five songs they initially recorded with six more. The tracks were recorded throughout the year in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Dallas with several producers— Shep Goodman, Aaron Accetta, Mark Jackson and Ian Scott. Plus, this time the members of FTSK took the reins on some of the production duties as well. Taking their time to perfect the tracks and allow a year’s worth of experience to sink into them really benefited the overall album.

“Every member of the band brings a certain level of creativity and we’re so versatile with the things we can do with our music that when you sit down with a different producer they’re going to pull those different elements out of you that maybe another producer wasn’t able to tap into,” Jonathan says. “So you’re getting songs that have different elements to show fans that you’re not pigeonholed.” 

The final album, Forever the Sickest Kids, is eleven songs of the band’s signature pop-rock style, spanning a broad range of tones from upbeat dance numbers to pensive ballads. “Life of the Party,” which Marc calls “that feel good party track that every CD needs,” is boisterous and propulsive, driven by popping electro beats and a sing-along rock chorus. “Keep On Bringing Me Down” was one of the first songs written for the album, a true collaborative effort that pairs a raucous melody with a sense of relatable storytelling in the lyrics, something the group hopes to convey throughout the disc. “Forever Girl,” an emotive, acoustic track, showcases the group’s introspective side. Overall, the disc is a collection of good time songs that should truly connect to their listener.