Track-By-Track: The Audition

RYAN O’CONNOR (drums) tells the stories behind each song on THE AUDITION’s Great Danger.

Let Me Know
“Let Me Know” was the first song Seth [Johnson, guitar] and I wrote for the album. I knew I wanted to start the record off with a statement and I feel like it really sets the tone for the rest of the songs. It’s about the constant battle of trying to find truth and an answer to questions you may have about your life or personal relationships. I love this song because its lyrics seem simple from the outside, but upon closer look, it talks about so many different situations in my life.

The Art Of Living
With Great Danger, I wanted to capture the Audition and what we embody as a band. “The Art Of Living” brings me back to the days when we were just starting out and jamming in my basement in a shitty, little room. The lyrics talk about how you think you have someone figured out, and in the end, they turn their back on you–but to their surprise they can’t function without you.

You Ruined This!
This song reminds me of a pop/rock Taylor Swift track. When I wrote lyrics for [2005’s Controversy Loves Company], I had a bunch of ideas already written down. For Great Danger, I wanted to sit with each song and let my first emotions guide the lyrical content. This song talks a lot about the daily trials and tribulations of putting all your trust in someone who lets you down in the end. You want to believe in someone and can’t let them go, but on the other hand, you’re not sure if it’s just a game to them.

He’s All You Want
I fell in love with this song since the first time Seth played me the demo. It’s got a total ‘60s surf style guitar part in the verses, then hits huge radio-rock in the chorus. We definitely take pride in trying to give our fans more than just a pop/rock song. What’s the fun of music if you can’t push the boundaries? Seth came in with the first verse and pre-chorus lyrics written and I played off that with the second verse and then the chorus.

Ms. Crumby
“Ms. Crumby” is definitely one of the poppier songs we’ve ever written. Never have we done a chorus based mostly on falsetto [vocals], so this was new for us. Seth wrote all of the lyrics to this song. It talks about two people living completely different lives but trying to make it work and the frustrations that come with risking everything.

Can You Remember?
The lyric in the chorus, “It’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years that make all the difference” is what really hits home with me. I feel that a lot of people take what they have for granted. Our band have been touring the world pretty much nonstop for five years, and I’ve come to really appreciate what our fans have given us and the music we’ve made along the way. I think it’s really important to make the best of every situation we’re given because we never know when it’s all going to be taken away from us.

Interlude
When the album was finally finished and everything was recorded, we sat down and listened to the songs and came up with a track listing that we thought flowed and told our story. A lot of the songs hit quick right after one another, so we wanted to give the record a little breather. Seth and I thought it would be cool to put an interlude on the album since we’d never done anything like that before. It definitely has an R&B and hip-hop vibe to it–which I love. Seth did a really great job with putting this piece together.

Honest Mistake
We like to explore new sounds and styles with each album we do. “Honest Mistake” definitely has a little bit of a [2008’s] Champion vibe to it, but I think we take it further. This song is also special because Timmy [Klepek, guitar] makes his lyrical debut with the chorus to this song. It was great because Seth and I had been jamming the song all day and couldn’t come up with a chorus that we thought did the song justice. We wanted something hot. [Laughs.] Little did we know, Timmy was our savior.

Runaway
We were driving around with Danny [Stevens, vocals/guitar] listening to new demos that we’d been working on. I asked Danny if he had written any songs he was stoked about. He played me a few and then put “Runaway” on. I was hooked! I thought the song was really honest and heartfelt. At first Danny didn’t want to put it on the album, but I thought it was great because we’d never had a song on any of our albums with just his vocals and an acoustic guitar. He was hesitant at first, but I finally convinced him, and I’m glad it made the album.

Never Heard Again
This was the last song we tracked for Great Danger, and it was actually put together from pieces of other songs we had. The song really describes a relationship Danny was going through at the time, and it’s really personal to him. I give him props for being so honest about a hard time in his life.

Watch It All Burn
I’m beyond stoked on this song! When we first heard the demo, we weren’t sure if it actually fit on the album. It’s definitely the hardest song we’ve ever written and you can definitely hear [Controversy Loves Company] inspiration all over it. The song tells the story of a guy who likes to keep parts of himself secret because he’s been lied to in the past and the pain of trying to get someone comfortable with accepting that. I’m really proud of this song. I think it’s a great way to end the album. alt