Courtesy of Radiator Hospital’s Bandcamp.

Radiator Hospital‰’s sophomore album, Torch Song, reminds us of all of those times in high school when we wanted to lay in bed because we believed it would mend a broken heart, and reassures us that they still occur when we‰’re no longer teenagers. The two-part “Fireworks‰” track serves as the archetype for this continual feeling and experience.

Sam Cook-Parrott, who is Radiator Hospital, is part of the Philadelphia DIY “pop-punk‰” scene, which has been generating a bit of popularity in the past year, with the help of Waxahatchee and Swearin‰’. Since Radiator Hospital‰’s first release in 2013,  Something Wild, their sound has matured with higher-quality recordings. Torch Song is made up of two types of songs: those that reveal more of the DIY punk influences, incorporating the full band and racing tempos, and those that display more of a singer-songwriter feel by placing emphasis on lyrical content and subtle guitar riffs. “Fireworks‰” and its reprise are part of the latter.

The first half of the song comes halfway through the album; Maryn Jones of Saintseneca and All Dogs is the vocalist, representing Cook-Parrott‰’s counterpart. The guitar harmony is more upbeat and holds a different timbre than what it is to become in the “Reprise‰Û, which is near the end of the album with Sam Cook-Parrott back on vocals. The two songs run parallel to each other, signifying a night in a developing relationship. 

In summary, the woman (Jones) is with someone else, but has a lingering desire to hear from the man she spent a night wandering the streets with (Cook-Parrott). Meanwhile, the man is contemplating whether he should call her. The lyrical content of both parts are almost identical, with a few adjustments to signify the different sides of the story. In the end though, both end up singing the same thing, “I didn‰’t want this to mean nothing / Did you feel them? / Feel the fireworks, off on our own? / Did I tell you how I felt them? / I think of them often when I get home / A little spark that don‰’t mean nothing / A little spark never hurt no one / A little spark that don‰’t mean nothing / A little spark doesn‰’t mean you‰’re the only one.‰Û

Radiator Hospital capitalizes on simplicity. They do not attempt to create complex rhythms or riffs or anything too far out of the ordinary. Where some critics may accuse them of unoriginal musicianship, it is something that resonates with their fans. This minimalism allows the honesty of Sam Cook-Parrott‰’s lyrics to be at the focal point; this is evident in “Fireworks‰” and “Fireworks (Reprise)‰Û. The pairing is relatable for listeners and gives them something to turn to when they‰’re feeling like a broken-hearted teenager again.