Arm’s Length break down every song on There’s a Whole World Out There
For their debut album, 2022’s Never Before Seen, Never Again Found, Arm’s Length worked meticulously to write a slow build. This time, the Ontario emo greats prove that they’re a whole new band from the outset. During “The World,” the opening cut of There’s a Whole World Out There, Arm’s Length are heavier, self-assured, and, ultimately, more open to experimentation, unafraid to test the boundaries of their sound. “When we were in the demo stage, that was one that really caught the ears of everyone in the room… The world of the album got fleshed out after writing this song — it gave the album a lot of meaning,” vocalist/guitarist Allen Steinberg recalls during a video discussion with AP, breaking down every track on their great new record.
“[It] has one of the most cathartic releases at the end of any song we’ve ever done,” drummer Jeff Whyte gushes. Elsewhere, there’s a “Smells Like Teen Spirit” riffs meets a “Hot Mulligan jangly chorus” (“The Weight”), a more emo sequel to “Tough Love” (“The Wound”), and 12-string acoustic guitars (“Genetic Lottery”), pulling influence from Phoebe Bridgers as much as their emo contemporaries Counterparts.
Read more: Finding love in emo fandom
Arm’s Length just wrapped a headlining tour, and they’re playing a few album release shows with Charmer (who just dropped their own new record, Downpour) and Wakelee this month.
Watch the band unravel the meaning of There’s a Whole World Out There below.
