The band formed in 2006 with Perdomo and Cody Payne (rhythm guitar and backing vocals) joined by Bryan Czap (lead guitar) and Tyler Minsberg (drums).
TDS independently released a five song EP There Is No Such Thing as Science in 2007, which drew the attention of Hopeless Records. They released their debut EP with Hopeless Records, entitled If You Could Only Keep Me Alive, with a similar track listing. The band's debut studio album, Reach for the Sun was released on May 5, 2009. The album reached #42 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
On May 14, 2010, the band announced they would be playing Reach for the Sun from front to back on their first headlining tour. Tyler left the band in late 2010.
An Acoustic Performance Of Reach For The Sun was digitally released on March 15, 2011. In the summer of 2011, TDS played a Warped Tour schedule and released their second full-length album, titled War Paint which was on released on July 19, 2011. Tyler returned to the band in 2011 for a short stint before leaving again that same year. Bryan Czap left the band in 2012.
The band released their 3rd studio album, Golden Record, on August 6, 2013 with Ben Cato on drums and Matt Kennedy on lead guitar and backing vocals. Cody Payne remained on rhythm guitar and backing vocals.
In September 2013, AJ Perdomo left the band, citing Cody Payne as the driving force behind the decision.
In February 2017 Cody Payne was sentenced to a year in prison after being charged with a Felony burglary conviction.
In July 2017, the band announced that they were reuniting as a trio without Cody Payne. On October 19, 2017 The Dangerous Summer announced their next album coming out in 2018. The Dangerous Summer was released on January 26, 2018. The first single was Fire, followed by Ghosts and Valium. All 3 singles were released prior to the album release date.
The band had stated influences from Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift, Third Eye Blind, Bright Eyes, U2, Phil Collins, Explosions in the Sky, Jimmy Eat World, and Andrew McMahon. "The Dangerous Summer" is taken from the novel of same name written by Ernest Hemingway.
Knives
The Dangerous Summer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And tastes like wine,
I still feel You in here.
I still live inside Your eyes;
Half the world is letting go.
Back when I found Your arms
And my lonely
Cut up body,
Everything was dead
Or couldn't fight.
Letters to You,
I read,in my awful sleep.
Skies turn gold;
I hear thunder creep,
And it cuts like knives.
And I will always return to You,
'Cause in a way I belong to You.
Sorry if I don't learn from my losses.
Everyone is dead; everyone is dead.
And I can't think of how we got in here.
Choked up and angry with my struggle.
I'm not the farthest from You.
I'm not the closest to Your honor.
You let me save myself.
You let the wind breathe
Down my neck.
I regret and regret 'till there's nothing left.
There were patterns.
There were shapes in the form
Of a loss.
The lyrics of The Dangerous Summer's song "Knives" seem to be about a relationship that had intense emotional and physical connections between two people. The singer expresses that he still feels the presence of the other person, even though the relationship is over, and that he still lives inside their eyes. However, he also acknowledges that half the world is letting go, symbolizing that the relationship may have been a fleeting or temporary one. The singer recalls how he found solace in the other person's arms, but was wounded and unable to go on, as everything was dead or unimaginable. He then mentions reading "Letters to You" in his sleep, perhaps letters that the other person wrote to him, which give him comfort and a sense of closeness even long after the relationship has ended.
The lyrics take a darker turn when the singer mentions the creeping of thunder and its cutting like knives, symbolizing emotional pain and trauma resulting from the separation. Despite this pain and loss, the singer still declares that he will always return to the other person because they belong to him in a way. He expresses regret that he cannot learn from his losses and that everyone is somehow dead or unreachable, probably referring to the emotional isolation he feels.
The song's last verse has an almost cathartic, redemptive feel, with the singer acknowledging that the other person let him save himself and that they allowed the wind to breathe down his neck. He regrets all his previous regrets until there's nothing left and sees patterns and shapes in the form of loss, probably referring to the insights that come with self-reflection and introspection. The song ends on a bittersweet note, with the singer clinging to the memories of the other person while also acknowledging that they are no longer together.
Line by Line Meaning
Warm like blood
The feeling is intense, tangible and familiar.
And tastes like wine,
It's intoxicating and addictive.
I still feel You in here.
The memories are alive and well-preserved.
I still live inside Your eyes;
The love is so deep that it completely engulfs them.
Half the world is letting go.
The world around them is changing and things seem to be falling apart.
Back when I found Your arms
Finding comfort and solace in the arms of the person they love.
And my lonely
Feeling of loneliness.
Cut up body,
Emotional pain and heartache that feels like physical wounds.
I could not go on. I could not go on.
Feeling helpless and hopeless.
Everything was dead
The world felt dark, empty, and lifeless.
Or couldn't fight.
There seemed to be no way out, no hope for a better future.
Letters to You,
Writing letters to express their feelings.
I read,in my awful sleep.
Being haunted by the past even while asleep.
Skies turn gold;
The beauty of the world around them, despite the pain they feel.
I hear thunder creep,
The looming threat of danger and turmoil.
And it cuts like knives.
The pain they feel is sharp and severe.
And I will always return to You,
The love and attachment is too strong to walk away from.
'Cause in a way I belong to You.
They feel that they are meant to be with this person.
Sorry if I don't learn from my losses.
They feel guilty for not being able to move on and learn from their mistakes.
Everyone is dead; everyone is dead.
Feeling alone in their pain and suffering.
And I can't think of how we got in here.
Feeling confused about how things ended up this way.
Choked up and angry with my struggle.
Feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with their own emotions.
I'm not the farthest from You.
Despite the pain, they still feel close to this person.
I'm not the closest to Your honor.
Struggling with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt.
You let me save myself.
Despite everything, they feel that this person has helped them in some way.
You let the wind breathe
Allowing for freedom and growth.
Down my neck.
Embracing change and new experiences.
I regret and regret 'till there's nothing left.
Feeling consumed by regret and unable to move on.
There were patterns.
Those patterns have defined their relationship.
There were shapes in the form
Their love took on a specific shape, a unique form.
Of a loss.
The end of their relationship feels like a significant loss.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDREW PERDOMO, CODY PAYNE, MATTHEW KENNEDY, ROBERT CATO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
KingPhil
This album is their most consistent in terms of song writing. Every song is crafted beautifully.
Cornelia M
his voice is so amazing!
Joshin Around
The bridge from 2:15 to 2:30 is probably my favourite part of this whole album.
Brett Butler
Amazing 🎉
Searos_Audio
Great song. Reminds me of Brand New
Kevin Young
That first verse is deep as shit. Wow
Jason Cox
I can't decide what's better, this one or "Drowning." The entire record is incredible, but those two tracks just stand out to me. And they're back to back on the record.
myvintagemisery
amazing :)
Dave2100
they are starting to remind me more and more of a lighter version of Nine Inch Nails
danielkavanagh1994
"And i will always return to You, 'cause in a way I belong to You" and "Know that i belong to you until i die" ... Who is this person that owns AJ?