Move Along is The All-American Rejects’ second album, which was released on July 12th, 2005. The album was extremely successful at the time and continues to be successful. It reached one billion streams on Spotify in December 2024. While this album is older, it’s remained one of my favorite albums for a long time, and I think it is still worth listening to.
TRACK 1: Dirty Little Secret
The first track on the album is “Dirty Little Secret.” The song opens up with lively, distorted guitars, setting the mood for the entire album. This is the most popular song on the album, having over 522,853,000 total streams on Spotify as of April 27th, 2025.
TRACK 2: Stab My Back
“Stab My Back” introduces some angst to the album. The lyrics are about a toxic relationship and still wanting to stay with an unfaithful partner, even if they ‘stab your back.’ It’s incredibly catchy right from the start and creates the perfect buildup to the song’s chorus.
TRACK 3: Move Along
“Move Along” comes in strong with its iconic drum intro. The song was featured in several movies, such as She’s the Man, The Hitcher, and Over Her Dead Body. Additionally, the song was covered by a TV show called Glee.
TRACK 4: It Ends Tonight
Switching up the mood with a ballad, “It Ends Tonight” weaves a tragic story through its lyricism: a story about having to end things with your best friend. Lead vocalist, bassist, and pianist Tyson Ritter expresses deep pain and anguish in his singing, which moves me each time I listen to it.
TRACK 5: Change Your Mind
Following that is “Change Your Mind,” another fiery and energetic tune. The lyrics are very empowering, with the message being that you should always keep going; everything will be alright.
TRACK 6: Night Drive
The sixth track on the album is “Night Drive”. Being featured in the Pixar Cars video game, this song opens up with energetic claps and drums and describes leaving a toxic relationship (or “driving away”) in the lyrics.
TRACK 7: 11:11 P.M.
Track seven is my personal favorite on the album. It utilizes the sound effect of the ticking clock in addition to heavy guitars and powerful vocals. This song is about a relationship between two damaged people trying to mend their relationship. I found it to be very bittersweet and relatable, which is why it’s my favorite.
TRACK 8: Dance Inside
Moving on to track eight, “Dance Inside” switches up the mood with a sweet, sensual tune. It’s about genuinely loving and cherishing someone passionately, both their body and soul. I instantly got a different, lighter vibe from this song when I first listened to it, and I think it’s very powerful.
TRACK 9: Top Of The World
This track is a little different from the others. Rather than a relationship, “Top of The World” is about the consequences of greed and having power. The song also opens up with an acoustic guitar instead of electric, which was a pleasant surprise for me.
TRACK 10: Straightjacket Feeling
“Straightjacket Feeling” is another ballad that hits you right in the heart with strings and an acoustic guitar. The song is about finally breaking away from an abusive relationship and finding happiness again.
TRACK 11: I’m Waiting
“I’m Waiting” is about feeling uncertain and insecure about a relationship—feeling as if you’re always just waiting to feel loved by your partner, questioning if they’re really invested as much as you are. I particularly liked the guitar solo in this song as well as the way the song fades out.
TRACK 12: Can’t Take It
The twelfth and final track is “Can’t Take It.” I think this track is the most unique in the entire album. The vibe is dark, and the usage of strings (such as violins and cellos) really adds to this.
CLOSING
Overall, this is a very well-rounded album that is both musically and narratively interesting. Some of the songs seem a little repetitive at times, but I still enjoyed it very much, and I’d rate it a 9/10.
