Opening your highly-anticipated sophomore album with a track as anthemic as “Car Underwater” is a bold, bold move. Undoubtedly an iconic song for just about anyone who had an emo or pop-punk band in their MySpace Top 8 at one point, the track thankfully isn’t a one-hit wonder. In fact the album it’s culled from, 2005’s What To Do When You Are Dead, managed to separate itself from the crowded pop-punk/alt-rock/emo scene at the time by being a rarity in the scene at large – a concept album about the protagonist and the subsequent journey through the afterlife. Pretty unique, and they pulled it off quite effectively.
Released on February 22nd, 2005, What To Do When You Are Dead succeeds because of the honesty of the lyrics, as well as guitarist/vocalist Ben Jorgensen’s ability to get the most out of his vocal abilities. While not the first concept album by an emo or pop-punk band, it did provide a blueprint for future bands to attempt similar feats. And its pop-punk choruses are infectious, despite the subject matter at hand.
