History
Formation and It's Our Time (2001–2006)
Rise or Die Trying, Explains It All (2006–2009)
The band's 2007 release Rise or Die Trying with I Surrender Records peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in its debut week. On the back of their increasing popularity, the band was signed to Decaydance Records in February 2008.
On July 21, 2009, Four Year Strong released an album of covers from the 1990s, titled Explains It All. The album features guest appearances from Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die, Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes, and JR and Buddy of Less Than Jake. The band explained their reasoning behind the album in a MySpace blog, saying "It’s what we grew up listening to. Everyone has those songs that instantly transport you back to when you were younger. Whether we were in our bedrooms playing air guitar, or riding in the car to little league practice, or it was just that song that was all over the radio during that awesome summer at the Cape. These songs have impacted us in some way and we want to share that feeling with you."
Enemy of the World (2010)
The band's 3rd full-length album, Enemy of the World, was released on March 9, 2010 on Universal Motown Records. The band released the album's first single, "It Must Really Suck to Be Four Year Strong Right Now", on December 21, 2009. The name of the song is a reference to the final sentence of a review in Alternative Press in which the magazine praised Set Your Goals' new album while remarking on the future of Four Year Strong and how their record would compare. The vinyl record was made available to pre-order on March 2, 2010. The album sold 12,400 copies in its first week, debuting at number 40 on the Billboard 200.
On April 3, 2011, it was announced that Josh Lyford would be leaving the band. Initially, it was implied that Lyford had chosen to leave in order to focus on his side project, Foxfires. However, it was later confirmed by both Lyford and Alan Day, that the band had elected to remove synthesizers from their sound leaving no room for Lyford to continue. The band has said they will continue as a four piece.
In Some Way, Shape or Form (2011–present)
On April 13, 2011, in an interview with Alternative Press, the band revealed that they had been in the middle of recording their fourth studio album with producer David Bendeth in New Jersey's House of Loud. The band is set to return to the studio, without Josh Lyford, to finish the album in June, after they finish touring with Rise Against. Vocalist Alan Day has also revealed that the new songs the band had written were very diverse, and that the new material is different than anything the band has ever written. While touring with Rise Against, they have been playing a newly recorded, yet unreleased song called "Falling on You".
On August 18, 2011, the band released "Stuck in the Middle", a new song from the upcoming album. The band announced that the new album will be titled In Some Way, Shape, or Form, and will be released on November 8, 2011. On September 8, 2011, the band released another song from the album, entitled "Falling on You." The first official single from the album, "Just Drive", is set for release on September 27, 2011
During the Fall 2011 AP Tour, the band played another new unreleased song which will be released on the upcoming album. The band dedicates it to fans who have been there "from the very beginning, and will be there till the very end." a video of the song has been leaked on YouTube. It is called "Fairweather Fan."
Touring
The band has done multiple national tours, sharing the stage with such bands as The Starting Line, Slip On It, Hellogoodbye, From First to Last, Every Time I Die, Meg & Dia, Hidden in Plain View, Alexisonfire, All Time Low, Mayday Parade, New Found Glory, Bayside and Steel Train. The band toured in February–April 2009 as part of the Taste of Chaos tour, alongside Thursday, Bring Me the Horizon, Pierce the Veil, and Cancer Bats. They undertook the Summer co-headline tour with Set Your Goals, and also Fireworks, The Swellers, Polar Bear Club, A Loss For Words, Drive A and Grave Maker from July to August 2009. Four Year Strong also performed on the Australian Soundwave festival in February and March 2010, alongside headliners Faith No More, Janes Addiction, Placebo; also playing alongside Alexisonfire, Set Your Goals, A Day To Remember, Paramore, It Dies Today, Gallows, Emarosa, A Wilhelm Scream, Anthrax, All Time Low, Escape The Fate, This Is Hell, Enter Shikari, Anti-Flag, Baroness, Comeback Kid, The Almost, Dance Gavin Dance, Architects, You Me At Six, Rolo Tomassi, Dichi Michi, Sunny Day Real Estate and many more. The band was in the lineup for Vans Warped Tour 2010 and played on the Altec Lansing stage along side Breathe Carolina, Hey Monday, and Set Your Goals.[7] They also played the first day on the Bamboozle festival. Late 2010, Four Year Strong headlined a tour with Comeback Kid, The Wonder Years, American Fangs, and Mountain Man. The tour was entitled "Tonight We Feel Alive!", and spanned the entire United States. In February 2011, Four Year Strong co-headlined the Kerrang! Relentless Tour 2011 with Good Charlotte with support from Framing Hanley and The Wonder Years, The tour began February 3rd in Dublin, Ireland. On the 15th February 2011 it was announced that they had been added to support Blink 182 on their UK tour alongside You Me At Six They will be joining Rise Against and Bad Religion on a US summer tour in 2011. They have also announced that they will come back to Australia later in the year to play Soundwave Revolution along with already announced bands The Damned Things, Story of The Year, Every Time I Die, Hellogoodbye, We Are The In Crowd and many others. They still have yet to announce an upcoming Detroit show. It is long overdue.
Musical style
The band's sound can be described as popcore a blend of pop punk, hardcore punk, and power pop. This genre is popularly referred to as "easycore" or "happycore". The band simply developed their sound off the idea of playing 'exactly what they want to hear' or music that they would listen to, but no one else was playing at the time.[8] The band has cited their influences as being Lifetime, Saves the Day, Gorilla Biscuits, Blink-182, and New Found Glory, to name a few. Though the band would primarily start out as a post-hardcore , the release of their demo in 2004 would mark a shift from post-hardcore to more synthesizer-heavy tracks, where the band would begin to embrace the styles of power pop and general hardcore punk. Prior to the release of and at times within Rise or Die Trying, the band also incorporates more facets of modern hardcore, such as double bass drums, breakdowns and screaming vocals. For their 3rd studio album, Enemy of the World, the band decided to expand upon their hardcore influences.
Influences
The band has many references to 1990's pop culture. They have been known to quote lines from '90s films in lyrics/song titles/ and in conversation. They were influenced by all the bands on their cover album Explains It All.
Talking Myself In Circles
Four Year Strong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but maybe I'm upside downI tried to fill the space between us
when we were more than just a couple miles apartGet a map, draw a line that connects You and IAnd follow it to the end to start all over againI keep repeating the same thing without any meaningJust hoping that it takes me back to the beginningI just keep talking myself in circlesTalking round and round in circlesWhat's with the attitudeHow about a little bit of gratitude?Forgive my sweet and sour point of viewbecause I already know the truth of what you think of meTrying to look on the Brightside
Maybe I'm just burnt out
The song "Talking Myself in Circles" by Four Year Strong explores the themes of self-doubt, personal struggles, and the desire to start over. The opening lines, "Talk is cheap, you caught me on another losing streak," express the frustration of feeling stuck in a cycle of defeat. The singer wishes that others didn't have to witness their pain and the process of picking up the fragmented pieces of their life. They acknowledge their attempts to find positivity and perspective, but it feels as though they are trapped in a reversed, upside-down world.
The lyrics mention trying to bridge the distance between two people who are physically apart, but it seems futile as they are unable to truly reconnect. The idea of drawing a line on a map is symbolic of their longing to reunite and start anew. However, the repeated line, "I keep talking myself in circles," reveals the singer's tendency to repeat patterns and thoughts without any real progress or solution. They long for a way to go back and undo the mistakes, to find a fresh beginning.
As the song progresses, the singer addresses the attitude and lack of gratitude from someone else. They apologize for their own perspective, acknowledging that they already know the negative opinions that person harbors about them. The lyric "Trying to look on the bright side, maybe I'm just burnt out" suggests that despite their attempts to find a positive outlook, they may be emotionally exhausted and unable to maintain that mindset.
Overall, "Talking Myself in Circles" reflects the inner turmoil and frustration of feeling stuck in negative patterns, longing to reconnect, and struggling to find a fresh start.
Line by Line Meaning
Talk is cheap
Words hold little value or significance
You caught me on another losing streak
You found me in a period of continuous failures
I wish you didn't have to watch me bleed
I hope you didn't have to witness my pain
As I pick up all the pieces that are left of me
As I try to rebuild myself from the broken fragments
Trying to look on the upside
Attempting to maintain a positive perspective
but maybe I'm upside down
Perhaps, in reality, I am in a negative state
I tried to fill the space between us
I attempted to bridge the distance separating us
when we were more than just a couple miles apart
in a time where our connection was stronger
Get a map, draw a line that connects You and I
Create a visual representation of the bond between us
And follow it to the end to start all over again
Trace it to its conclusion, to begin anew
I keep repeating the same thing without any meaning
I continue to say the same words without significance
Just hoping that it takes me back to the beginning
Simply wishing for it to transport me back to the starting point
I just keep talking myself in circles
I persistently engage in repetitive conversations
Talking round and round in circles
Communicating with no progression or new insights
What's with the attitude
Why do you have such a negative demeanor
How about a little bit of gratitude?
Can't you show some appreciation?
Forgive my sweet and sour point of view
Pardon me for my mixed and conflicting perspective
because I already know the truth of what you think of me
since I am already aware of your opinion about me
Trying to look on the Brightside
Attempting to find the positive aspects
Maybe I'm just burnt out
Perhaps, I am simply exhausted or drained
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Daniel O'Connor, Jackson Massucco, Joseph Weiss, Alan Day
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hugo L
Talk is cheap
You caught me on another losing streak
I wish you didn't have to watch me bleed
As I pick up all the pieces that are left of me
Trying to look on the upside
But maybe I'm upside down
I tried to fill the space between us
When we were more than just a couple miles apart
Get a map, draw a line that connects you and I
And follow it to the end to start all over again
I keep repeating the same thing without any meaning
(Without any meaning)
Just hoping that it takes me back to the beginning
I just keep talking myself in circles
Talking round and round in circles
What's with the attitude
How about a little bit of gratitude
Forgive my sweet and sour point of view
'Cause I already know the truth of what you think of me
Trying to look on the bright side
Maybe I'm just burnt out
I tried to fill the space between us
When we were more than just a couple miles apart
Get a map, draw a line that connects you and I
And follow it to the end to start all over again
I keep repeating the same thing without any meaning
(Without any meaning)
Just hoping that it takes me back to the beginning
Trying to look on the bright side
Maybe I'm just burnt out
I keep repeating the same thing without any meaning
(Without any meaning)
Just hoping that it takes me back to the beginning
I just keep talking myself in circles
Talking round and round in circles
Talking round and round
Just hoping that it takes me back to the beginning
VolumeSe7en
I can’t believe I’ve been listening to this band for 10 years
Connor64
Cojum Creep nice glad to see people still like their music
Tbone229
I can't believe I just found them today!
FazeJojFloi
Just got into them I'm 15 btw
Kohyd X
@Tristen Davis im listening to them since i was 15 and now im 28 haha xD
Connor64
VolumeSe7en I’ve listened for almost 10 years so I feel you this music is just so good
Aaron Czerwinski
1st listen: Hmmm...seems cool
2nd listen: OK, this is kinda catchy
3rd listen: It's growing on me a lot
4th listen: 🎶I KEEP REPEATING THE SAME THING WITHOUT ANY MEEEEEANIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!🎶
Switch Unboxing
Yuppppp took me a year to get into it
Alex Hill
This is how I felt when I heard We All Float Down Here
fishydinner44
JUST HOPING THAT IT TAKES ME BACK TO TJE BEGINNIIIIIIIIING!!!!!!!!?