Just saw that this record was released TEN YEARS AGO today. This was a big part of my soundtrack in high school, and the lyrics to the track never rang as true for me as they did listening this morning. This record described a lot of what I was going through at the time of its release, good times with friends and the ups and downs of being young. What I neglected to appreciate at 16 however, was that the author of these anthems that were defining my youth was writing them from an older man’s perspective, one I now relate to more than ever. I’ve embedded the title track below because even if you aren’t a fan, it’s sentiment might still move you.

“The Hero Dies In This One” has always been one of my favorite tracks.

At age 16, So Long, Astoria made me think about how much I loved where I was at that time. I loved all of my friends, and I knew that in a short time we would all be divided up across the country. I knew that despite the inevitability of change, I wanted nothing more than to just freeze myself in that time permanently. I loved all of them so much, more than they may have known at the time.

Time has come and gone, and life has taken us all in various directions. I certainly don’t regret anything in the last ten years, as its brought me to where I am now, and I am very happy in my life. I’m very lucky for multiple reasons, and I remind myself of that on a daily basis. However, every now and then, especially when I hear the fuzzed out guitars, hard rocking percussion, and gruff vocals on So Long, Astoria, I’m reminded how amazing that time in my life truly was. I’ll end this post with “In This Diary”, the album’s nostalgic lead single.

If you haven’t already, check out the whole record on Spotify and take a trip back in time.