Half Way There is early 2000s pop punk sensation Busted’s fourth album. The 11 track album promises a trip down memory lane, a statement very true to the original sound we love.
Tracks such as ‘MIA’ deliver the classic pop punk sound while opener ‘Nineties’ is an unapologetic updated version of the kind of music the band were releasing over 10 years ago, where they dwell on times gone by. ‘Reunion’ in particular is a complete rush which is sure to be a hit with fans as the band embark on their upcoming arena tour.
While the album is full of the catchy tracks we have come to know and love Busted for, this offering has a biographical aspect as the threesome explore their past in tracks like ‘What Happened to Your Band’; further insights into the breakup and reunion of the band are offered and it is this reflective aspect that sets this album apart from their hit singles of the noughties such as ‘Year 3000’. In the most melancholic track on the album, ‘All my Friends’, the band laments that they are “half way to obscurity” and reflect on where they are in their lives and how far they’ve come. The emphasis on the line “we’ll be fine” strikes a chord when listening, and encapsulates what I believe to be the take away from the album.
There is something strangely comforting about a band choosing not to stray too far from their roots and reflecting on their journey thus far; Busted’s slice of pop punk nostalgia is very welcome here, and will no doubt reflect in the band’s pull of original fans and new fans alike.
[Hannah Davenport – @Hannahdavers]
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