Vista Blue

Stay Gold

Outloud! Records/Radiant Radish

The album is only 18 minutes long, but there is a lot in those 18 minutes. It’s the plot and characters of SE Hinton’s book The Outsiders, a book that I read years ago and still remember, as it’s that good. If you’ve never read it, listen to this album of killer punk rock, then get the book. It’s worth it.

Both the book and album include themes of class warfare, star-crossed lovers, and being young. The band embodies the characters, and details the plot very well. If you want something a bit different, just want to rock out, or both, get both. You will also be contributing to anti-censorship efforts, as the book is one of the most challenged in the US for high school English curricula. So strike a blow for artistic freedom and have a blast.

Andrea Weiss