Living Proof (State Champs album)

Living Proof is the third studio album from American pop punk band State Champs. It is their last album to feature rhythm guitarist Tony Diaz before his departure in March 2020.

Living Proof
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 15, 2018 (2018-06-15)
RecordedSeptember–November 2017
GenrePop punk
Length41:57
LabelPure Noise
Producer
State Champs chronology
Around the World and Back
(2015)
Living Proof
(2018)
Kings of the New Age
(2022)
Singles from Living Proof
  1. "Dead and Gone"
    Released: April 19, 2018
  2. "Crystal Ball"
    Released: May 6, 2018
  3. "Mine Is Gold"
    Released: May 25, 2018

Background and production edit

In August 2017, the band were reportedly going to work with All Time Low frontman Alex Gaskarth for their next album; they worked together on two songs for the reissue of Around the World and Back.[1] Surrounding their appearance at Riot Fest, the band went on a tour of the US and Canada in September 2017.[2] The following month, they announced they were collaborating with Mark Hoppus of Blink-182.[3]

Mike Green and Kyle Black produced "Criminal", "Frozen", "Crystal Ball", "Lightning", "Safe Haven", "The Fix Up", "Cut Through the Static", and "Sidelines". Green and Black were assisted by engineers Colin Schwanke and Will McCoy, both of whom also did Pro Tools editing. John Feldmann produced "Dead and Gone", "Our Time to Go", "Something About You", "Mine Is Gold", and "Time Machine". Zakk Cervini, Jon Lundin, and Matt Pauling served as engineers, and did additional production; Black co-produced "Time Machine", and did additional engineering on "Dead and Gone", "Mine Is Gold", and "Time Machine". Black mixed all of the recordings, with assistance from Austin Linkous, before the album was mastered by Ted Jensen.[4]

Release edit

In March 2018, State Champs played at the Self Help Fest.[5] On April 18, 2018, the band posted a teaser image online;[6] the following day, Living Proof was announced for release in two months' time. Alongside this, "Dead and Gone" was made available for streaming,[7] and its music video was posted online.[8] On May 6, 2018, "Crystal Ball" premiered on BBC Radio 1's Rock Show, before it was made available for streaming.[9] This was followed by "Mine Is Gold" on May 24, 2018.[10] After appearing at the Galaxy Camp festival in Germany and Switzerland,[11] they played some shows in mainland Europe with Knuckle Puck and Stand Atlantic, leading to a performance at the Slam Dunk Festival in the United Kingdom.[12] A music video was released for "Our Time To Go" on June 11, 2018.[13]

Following this, State Champs played on the Warped Tour touring festival between June and August 2018,[7] and supported Blink-182 on their short US tour.[14] After a brief stint of headlining shows,[15] State Champs supported Fall Out Boy on their tour of the US.[16] They then embarked on a European tour with Seaway in October and November 2018, with support from Woes and Stand Atlantic,[17] before playing some shows in South America during the latter month.[18] They ended the year with three holiday shows on the US West Coast, one of which supporting the Starting Line.[19]

In March 2019, the band embarked on a headlining North American tour,[20] with support from Our Last Night, the Dangerous Summer and Grayscale.[21] In June 2019, bookending State Champs' appearance at the Download Festival in the UK, they went on a tour of Europe,[22] before touring across the US in July and August 2018 as part of the Sad Summer Fest touring festival.[23] In between dates of this, they played a few co-headlining shows with Mayday Parade, with support from Mom Jeans and Just Friends.[24] In October and November 2019, State Champs went on a co-headlining US with Simple Plan, with support from We the Kings[25] and Northbound.[26] The trek was promoted with a collaborative song between State Champs, Simple Plan and We the Kings, titled "Where I Belong".[27] They ended the year with a performance at the Snowed In festival in December 2019.[28]

Track listing edit

Track listing per booklet.[4]

No.TitleProducerLength
1."Criminal"
  • Mike Green
  • Kyle Black
3:22
2."Frozen"
  • Green
  • Black
2:59
3."Crystal Ball"
  • Green
  • Black
3:12
4."Dead and Gone"John Feldmann3:11
5."Lightning"
  • Green
  • Black
2:56
6."Our Time to Go"Feldmann3:44
7."Safe Haven"
  • Green
  • Black
3:37
8."Something About You"Feldmann2:52
9."The Fix Up"
  • Green
  • Black
3:27
10."Cut Through the Static"
  • Green
  • Black
2:59
11."Mine Is Gold"Feldmann2:44
12."Time Machine"
  • Feldmann
  • Black (co.)
3:29
13."Sidelines"
  • Green
  • Black
3:25
Total length:41:57

Personnel edit

Personnel per booklet.[4]

Charts edit

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] 62
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[30] 119
UK Albums (OCC)[31] 54
US Billboard 200[32] 28
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[33] 2
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[34] 3
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[35] 4

References edit

  1. ^ "State Champs to collaborate with Alex Gaskarth again for new album". Alternative Press. August 6, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  2. ^ Dickman, Maggie (July 12, 2017). "Hear State Champs' pop-punk take on Shawn Mendes' 'Stitches'". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  3. ^ Dickman, Maggie (October 4, 2017). "Looks like State Champs are in the studio with Mark Hoppus". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c State Champs (2018). Living Proof (booklet). Pure Noise Records. PNE217.
  5. ^ "ADTR, Mayday Parade, more announced for Self Help Festival". Alternative Press. January 20, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  6. ^ Dickman, Maggie (April 18, 2018). "State Champs are teasing something, and fans are freaking out". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Dickman, Maggie (April 19, 2018). "State Champs announce new album, debut new song 'Dead And Gone'—listen". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "State Champs share music video for 'Dead And Gone' and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. April 19, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  9. ^ "State Champs debut massive new song 'Crystal Ball'—listen". Alternative Press. May 6, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  10. ^ "State Champs drop lively new single 'Mine Is Gold' — listen". Alternative Press. May 24, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  11. ^ "State Champs, Knuckle Puck, more announced for festival and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. January 23, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Tullio, Lauren (January 31, 2018). "State Champs, Knuckle Puck add additional dates to tour and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  13. ^ Darus, Alex (June 11, 2018). "Pale Waves announce North American tour and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  14. ^ "blink-182 announce series of dates for a small headlining tour". Alternative Press. July 23, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  15. ^ "State Champs announce headlining tour dates and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. August 1, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  16. ^ Dickman, Maggie (April 19, 2018). "Fall Out Boy announce support for each city on upcoming MANIA tour". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  17. ^ "New Found Glory unveil new music video and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. August 15, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  18. ^ "State Champs announce South American dates and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. May 9, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  19. ^ Fair, Anna (October 24, 2018). "Alkaline Trio announce hometown shows and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  20. ^ "State Champs announce North American dates for 'Living Proof' tour". Alternative Press. October 29, 2018. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  21. ^ Campbell, Rachel (November 28, 2018). "State Champs announce more 'Living Proof' tour support". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  22. ^ Quiles, Alyssa (May 7, 2019). "Thrice announce tour dates and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  23. ^ Campbell, Rachel (March 19, 2019). "Sad Summer Festival reveals stacked lineup for first cross-country run". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  24. ^ Darus, Alex (May 7, 2019). "Mayday Parade, State Champs add co-headlining summer dates". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  25. ^ Shoemaker, Whitney (August 12, 2019). "Simple Plan, State Champs, We The Kings announce fall tour". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  26. ^ Darus, Alex (October 1, 2019). "Simple Plan, State Champs, We The Kings reveal upcoming tour support". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  27. ^ Darus, Alex (October 11, 2019). "Simple Plan, State Champs, WTK drop epic collab 'Where I Belong'". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  28. ^ Smith-Engelhardt, Joe (December 10, 2019). "10 holiday concerts you can attend to ring in the new decade". Alternative Press. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  29. ^ "Australiancharts.com – State Champs – {{{album}}}". Hung Medien.
  30. ^ "Ultratop.be – State Champs – Living Proof" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
  31. ^ "State Champs | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  32. ^ "State Champs Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  33. ^ "State Champs Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  34. ^ "State Champs Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard.
  35. ^ "State Champs Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard.

External links edit