In 2006, Gainesville, FL punk stalwarts Hot Water Music broke up for the second time. Since forming in 1994, the band’s music has evolved from post hardcore and emo to anthemic punk and Heartland rock. The first glimpses of that evolution appeared on 1999’s No Division, and while 2002’s Caution contained the band’s biggest anthem, if not song, in “Trusty Chords,” they didn’t completely turn down Bruce Springsteen Ave. until their 2012 album Exister. Prior to making that album, Hot Water Music toured Australia with The Bouncing Souls and in 2011 released a split 7-inch with the New Brunswick, NJ natives. On that split, The Bouncing Souls’ covered Hot Water Music’s “Wayfarer” from Caution and How Water Music covered The Bouncing Souls’ “True Believers” from How I Spent My Summer Vacation.
2001’s How I Spent My Summer Vacation was The Bouncing Souls fifth full-length album (I’m counting 1994’s The Good, the Bad, and the Argyle as an album and not a compilation) and is arguably their best. From the opening guitar chord of “That Song” driven home by Greg Attonito’s declaration,
I put that record on just to make a sound
The rhythm hit, it got my movement off the ground
Soundtrack of what I want to be
If I want to change the world, it’s gotta start with me (The Bouncing Souls, 2001)
The Bouncing Souls put the world on notice, because this was the album that they finally put all the pieces together, perfecting anthemic punk rock.
After a strange start dabbling into the waters of funk rock, The Bouncing Souls forged a sound that was equal parts Descendents and 7 Seconds, with a pinch of Cock Sparrer thrown in for good measure (i.e., Oi tinged, posi-hardcore pop punk). Their fourth album, 1999’s Hopeless Romantic saw the band begin to bring in elements of Heartland rock, which makes perfect sense for a band from the land of Springsteen. How I Spent My Summer Vacation was the album that fully integrated Heartland rock into the Souls’ equation.
The album touches on themes of friendship, love, and forgiveness. More than anything, it is a testament to the “unabashed belief in the redemptive power of larger-than-life rock” (Allen, 2025). This idea was introduced in “That Song” and taken home with the album’s closing track “Gone.”
It was a cloudy night, or so it looked to me
I felt so lost, I couldn’t say why
I needed strength to change my mind, but these ghosts stick to me like glue
Hating life, believing I was no goodIt was a darkness all my own
A song played on the radio
It went straight to my heart
I carried it with me until the darkness wasGone, gone
Gone, gone (The Bouncing Souls, 2001)
“Gone” is a buoyant, hopeful, and uplifting song that can make you feel like you are not alone in this world. It takes the themes of How I Spent My Summer Vacation, sums them up, and brings them to a satisfying conclusion. On its own, “Gone” is an outstanding song, but in the context of the record, it elevates and is elevated by the entire body of work. The sum is truly greater than its parts, but it helps that the parts are really freaking great on their own.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation will probably be known for giving the world “True Believers” but the entire record is one of The Bouncing Souls’ best and “Gone” is as much of a classic on its own while also being the perfect album closer.
References
Allen, J. (2025, May 4). The Big Music: How U2 Led a League of Righteous 80s Arena Rockers. uDiscoverMusic. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/the-big-music-u2-feature/
The Bouncing Souls. (2001). How I Spent My Summer Vacation [Album]. Epitaph Records.
The Bouncing Souls. (2025, August 28). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Bouncing_Souls&oldid=1308266001
The Bouncing Souls. (n.d.). Discogs. Retrieved September 21, 2025, from https://www.discogs.com/artist/253283-The-Bouncing-Souls
The Bouncing Souls. (n.d.). Genius. Retrieved September 21, 2025, from https://genius.com/artists/The-bouncing-souls
The Bouncing Souls. (n.d.). Rate Your Music. Retrieved September 21, 2025, from https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/the-bouncing-souls
The Bouncing Souls, & Hot Water Music. (2011). The Bouncing Souls & Hot Water Music Split [7” EP]. Chunksaah Records.
The Bouncing Souls & Hot Water Music – Chunksaah Records Split 7”. (n.d.). Discogs. Retrieved September 21, 2025, from https://www.discogs.com/release/2658241-The-Bouncing-Souls-Hot-Water-Music-Chunksaah-Records-Split-7
Hot Water Music. (2025, August 21). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hot_Water_Music&oldid=1307113604