The Second Summer – I Should

The Second Summer returns with another fine piece of sonic artistry that will unquestionably appeal to anyone who’s looking for cleverly assembled and flawlessly performed music. Released via HardStop Records, “I Should” is one of those catchy, memorable, and engaging compositions that immediately wrap around your listening apparatus and refuses to let go long after the last note and beat fade away. Serving as their first piece of work in 2026, this song also arrives as an appropriate follow-up to “Try,” another fine piece of sonic artistry released last year that you should also check out as soon as possible. Lyrically, “I Should” explores various sentiments, moods, circumstances, and situations through poetic storytelling, so it is a highly relatable composition that will immediately resonate with the broader audience. Sonically, The Second Summer channels both 90s college rock and alt-rock radio by combining many significant subgenres of rock music together. Perhaps this song dominantly shines with a power pop sound, as the band incorporated all the essential elements of the genre into it, but do not be surprised if you stumble upon college rock, alternative rock, indie rock, and many more. The Second Summer use all these additional sonic ingredients as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details in order to elevate this composition to new heights, while remaining loyal to the primary sonic direction. Although their music resonates with qualities that meet all the trends in contemporary music production, the band has also infused a subtle touch of nostalgia, spicing things up and elevating this song to an entirely new level. Therefore, “I Should” is one of those songs that will appeal to longtime fans and definitely gather newbies who are just getting started with power pop and alternative rock music.

On the onset, it becomes apparent these folks are not joking around with their music. “I Should” arrives with a perfect structure, decorated with many clever arrangements, profoundly detailed segments, brilliant ideas, and outstanding musicianship. Each vocal harmony, chord progression, bassline, and drum beat has its place and purpose here, making “I Should” such an addictive, hypnotic, fascinating song. You’ll immediately notice how all those thoughtfully assembled guitar interplays shape a perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. On one side, there are all those catchy chord progressions and riffs, tastefully drenched in distortion yet vividly hearable to reveal all the details. On the other side, there are beautiful themes, melodies, and harmonies, offering more depth, detail, and complexity to the song. It’s nearly mindblowing how all these layers articulate together in the mix without overwhelming each other. These are the moments where their dedication to the craft is more than notable. But the vocal performance unquestionably steals the show here. You’ll hear how soulful, passionate, emotive, sincere, confident, and powerful vocal harmonies elevate everything to new heights, command attention, and guide listeners on an epic journey through the expansive sonic universe. The seamless balance between low, mid, and high notes not only gives detail to all those melodies, harmonies, and chord progressions but also decorates all the segments and instrumentations. Besides all of that, the vocal performance also contributes more than necessary emotional depth and complexity to an already intricate song structure. You’ll notice how vocals and guitars merge together harmoneously, offering that recognizable power pop vibe.

Of course, this composition wouldn’t sound complete without the equally impressive rhythm section. You’ll notice how all those intricate, vividly hearable, warm-sounding basslines rumble beneath the guitars, contributing more than necessary heaviness, clarity, and depth while simultaneously acting as a binding element between the mentioned orchestrations and rhyhtmic patterns. These deep, dense, heavy low end notes offer more groove and detail without ever overwhelming the remainder of the instrumentation. The exceptional drumming performance, based upon energetic, tastefully arranged, flawlessly performed, well-accentuated beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics, keeps everything in line while dictating groove and pace. Each hit of the snare, kick of the bass drum, accentuation over hi-hat, splash over cymbals adds more groove and complexity, making “I Should” as dynamic as it could possibly be.  The Second Summer has created a power pop masterpiece that will unquestionably appeal to even the pickiest listeners, thanks to their ability to breathe fresh air into this longstanding music genre. Every vocal harmony, lush guitar work, intricate bassline, and energetic beat has its place and purpose, working flawlessly in order to create a mesmerizing power pop ambiance that immediately wraps around your listening apparatus and refuses to let go. If you love your power pop music, emotional, melodic, and groovy, “I Should” by The Second Summer will be right up your alley, because these experienced musicians have invested all their knowledge, creativity, talent, and skills into it. It’s definitely a top contender for the best power pop song of the year.