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Listen to The Wonder Years new album Sister Cities a day early

The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years | photo by Jonathan Weiner | courtesy of the artist

Local favorites The Wonder Years have made their sixth album Sister Cities available to stream ahead of its full release this Friday. The band’s latest work sees some of the heaviest material written to-date. Previously noted in the album’s teaser video, frontman Dan Campbell shared that “It’s about how we all eventually lose the people that mean the most to us, it’s about how we all experience grief and successes in these alternating tidal waves of joy and devastation.” Continue reading →

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The Wonder Years share new videos to support Puerto Rico relief efforts

The Wonder Years | photo by Carolyn Ambriano | courtesy of the artist

In addition to churning out hits for over a decade, The Wonder Years are also known for their dedication to using their platform to do good. Last fall, the band played a series of shows in New York that were livestreamed to raise money for Fondos Unidos de Puerto Rico, an organization that aids relief efforts following devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

The performances, which followed the release of The Wonder Years’ acoustic Burst & Decay EP, show a quieter, more stripped-down side of the band, and they were joined onstage by The Little Kruta String Quartet and Laura Stevenson.

Now, months later, Puerto Rico is still far from fully recovered. To continue to raise relief funds, The Wonder Years have released footage of last fall’s performances. The series of five videos is available to watch on YouTube, and donation links are included with each video. Continue reading →

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The Wonder Years go from a whisper to a wail on new Sister Cities track “Pyramids of Salt”

The Wonder Years | photo by Jonathan Weiner | courtesy of the artist

Ever since they formed in Lansdale, PA over a decade ago, The Wonder Years have never been ones to shy away from heavy topics or intense emotions. The band — which has grown from Philly pop-punk to a more genre-defining sound today — has been unveiling detail after detail of their forthcoming sixth album Sister Cities, out April 6, and recently released a second single, “Pyramids of Salt.”

The song is full of sweeping melodies and big crescendos — it’s a bit quieter and bleaker than the lead single/title track “Sister Cities,” but by no means less powerful. At almost five minutes long, The Wonder Years take their time to explore the complicated feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, which take the form of everything from a whisper to a wail. Continue reading →

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Just Announced: The Wonder Years will bring Sister Cities to The Fillmore in June

The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years | photo by Jonathan Weiner | courtesy of the artist

After announcing their sixth album Sister Cities last week, Philly’s The Wonder Years rolled out their spring tour schedule today — and it’s a stacked show.

Joined by scene faves Tigers Jaw, Tiny Moving Parts, and Worriers, the band begins the run this May in Pittsburgh and wraps it up in June in Baltimore, with a stop at The Fillmore Philly on June 8th in between. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 16th at 10 a.m.; more information can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar. Continue reading →

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Listen to the title track from The Wonder Years’ sixth album, Sister Cities

The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years | photo by Jonathan Weiner | courtesy of the artist

After a couple weeks of teasing, Philly six-piece The Wonder Years have unveiled official details for their sixth album.

Sister Cities is out on April 6th, as perviously reported, on their longtime label Hopeless Records. You can grab a pre-order here.

For a band that has never shied away from heavy and heartrending material, Sister Cities sounds like it’s going to be particularly heavy. Continue reading →

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The Wonder Years gear up for the release of their new album, Sister Cities

The Wonder Years | photo by Rachel Del Sordo for WXPN | racheldelsordophotography.com

This past week has been a good one for Philly. First the Eagles get to the Super Bowl, then they win the Super Bowl, and now hometown pop-punk favorites The Wonder Years are evidently releasing a new album called Sister Cities.

The record (which may or may not be a Hop Along reference) is due out on April 6th, according to Alternative Press, though the band itself and its label, Hopeless Records, appear to still be in teaser mode. The only information that’s “officially”out is a trailer released on Monday, featuring clips from their travels and past shows, explaining that the new album is based on their experiences growing as people while traveling the world on tour. Continue reading →

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Philly musical underdogs The Wonder Years pack it in at Boot & Saddle for Peace & Noise

The Wonder Years | photo by Rachel Del Sordo for WXPN | racheldelsordophotography.com

2018’s Peace & Noise concert series wrapped on Wednesday, Jan. 31 with an immensely sold out show headlined by Philadelphia’s The Wonder Years.

Given the collective high the city has been riding on since the Eagles earned the NFC Championship title—and advanced to Super Bowl LII this Sunday—the second-annual set of benefit concerts could not have ended on a more raucous note.

Following sets from Brooklyn’s Nervous Dater (whose tightly written LP Don’t Be a Stranger remains among 2017’s hidden gems) and Philly flagship punk band Mannequin Pussy, The Wonder Years took their place onstage—in hometown hero fashion—to a room-encompassing rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly,” kicking off a 15-song set composed of material spanning their now-dense ouvre of working class, near-theatrical, shoutalong pop punk. Continue reading →

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Just Announced: Boot & Saddle’s 2018 Peace & Noise benefit shows to feature Cayetana, The Wonder Years, and more

Cayetana | photo by Jeremy Zimmerman | jeremy-zim.com

Last January, Philly’s favorite music venue Boot & Saddle staged a three-part series of benefit shows featuring some of Philly’s favorite music acts. Good news: it appears that this series, called Peace & Noise, is becoming an annual event, and this time will feature an even more ambitious lineup of local bands. Happening over three Wednesdays in January, the upcoming shows will benefit local charities The Attic Youth Center, Project HOME and Rock to the Future. Continue reading →

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Just Announced: The Wonder Years to play a stripped-down set at TLA

The Wonder Years | photo courtesy of Big Picture Media

It’s been too long, The Wonder Years. The Philadelphia pop-punk band last performed in Philadelphia at the Fillmore for a sold out hometown show in November, and today they have announced the date of their triumphant return. In a nice twist, the six-piece will not be moving up to a larger venue but rather will be playing a stripped-down acoustic set at the Theatre of Living Arts on October 6th as part of a quick run of intimate dates to accompany the acoustic EP Burst and Decay. Continue reading →

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Listen to Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years and Aaron West cover The Weakerthans

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties at Made In America | Photo by Cameron Pollack for WXPN
Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties at Made In America | Photo by Cameron Pollack for WXPN

For a few years now, The Wonder Years‘ Dan Campbell has been keeping busy with his side project Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties. They released their full length debut We Don’t Hate Each Other back in 2014, and just last year, they dropped the Bittersweet EP. Next week, they’ll embark on a short East Coast tour, and if you’re still bummed that it doesn’t include a Philly date, then I encourage you to accept this cover of The Weakerthans’ “My Favourite Chords” as a consolation prize. Continue reading →