By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff After releasing their first single on June 7, Bus Crush quickly moved on to an album release less than a month ago. Released on Oct. 11 following a release of three singles, “Sports and Leisure” made for a strong start to the band's career. The album follows a long and tiresome breakup and the lead singer is the narrator through it all. The first two tracks, “Even Score” and “Good to Me,” are the most angry of the album and are the fastest paced with the most intense vocals, guitar, and drums. “Even Score” starts off chastising us for wanting revenge for the hurt we felt. Then, “Good to Me” flips it back on us, and the hurt we caused the narrator. The narrator cries for better treatment, begging “it wouldn’t hurt to be good to me.” The tracks combine to tell us how much hurt there was on both sides. Despite all the hurt, the narrator still yearns for us. Going into the next few tracks, it is very apparent there are still feelings. “Strawberry Stain” asks us “where did you go when I sent you home?” It’s almost as if she is hurt that home was not with her. The strongest track on this album comes next. The lyrics throughout this album are deeply meaningful, but some can get lost behind the backing tracks. It’s best to listen with the lyrics in front of you. “I Can Hear the Birds” is a beautiful tribute to the memories missed after a relationship - something we can all relate to. The narrator describes how we used to listen to the birds as we would lie together. Now that we are gone, she can still hear the birds. She feels selfish for still “walking through the memories,” but can’t help it. The lyrics of this song are so strong and clear, perfectly complimented by a softer, simpler backtrack. “Seven” comes up after, wondering if the listener is missing her the same way. Can we hear the birds too? Immediately after, “Better” doubles back on these thoughts. Now we are told it’s better to move on, that the narrator is “moving fast now that you’re not there, I can do it better than I did it before.” Some of the lyrics get a little lost on this one, but it still ties together very well with “Seven,” conveying the back and forth that comes with moving on. “Sour Blue” backs up “Better’s” bitterness. This track perfectly describes the cold feeling toward the other person, when you start to feel negatively toward them, knowing that neither of you want each other. “Gone” gets us angry again. How could you feel this apathy toward me? How do you sleep knowing how hurt I am? The narrator tells us her hurt will stay. So don’t ask anything of her. In “Greyhound,” the narrator accepts that she will have to be the one to make the decision to move on - to start something new despite being scared. The album closes out with “Win Today.” Even though the narrator shows growth following this breakup, she is only human. She checks back in with the listener once more, asking us “Did you win today?” She still regrets how everything went down. Despite moving on, there is still that lingering anger. You made your decision, but do you feel like you won? Do you feel good about it? While there are several tracks on this album that lose their lyrics behind strong backtracks, the message and story of the album make it worth it. Not only that, but each song transitions smoothly into the next, not once jumping from too fast of a pace to something slower. The album itself is incredibly emotional and cohesive, and a huge start to what will hopefully be a long career for Bus Crush. Rating: A- I hope you still hear the birds