Mark Arabia – HOW WE GOT HERE
Mark Arabia‘s debut album has an all-too-common backstory – it was inspired by a breakup… But let’s be real, the best albums always come from pain. There’s no surprises here – Arabia’s latest, the 11-song HOW WE GOT HERE is full of the stuff you would have gone crazy to back in high school (at least if you were in high school when I was). If you’re a high schooler now, I have no idea how to relate to you, but we’re pretty sure you’re gonna like this too. Mark’s stuff is a throwback to the storytelling greats of ’00s pop punk – and whether you decide to hear Blink-182, All Time Low, Owl City, or Machine Gun Kelly in Mark’s sharp and polished songwriting, he’s still entering the pop-punk oeuvre with a strong narrative of his own.
The album kicks off with title track “HOW WE GOT HERE,” and it’s an excellent introduction to Arabia’s style. Mark’s voice has that charming, lightly-raspy vibe that fits perfectly for this style of music. It never really dives into distorted guitar territory like you might expect from a Motion City Soundtrack or Boys Like Girls album, but the gently plucked guitars and twinkling electronic accompaniments here feel intentional and pop-oriented, like it could/should have been the second The Click Five single that none of us remember (to clarify, if it was “HOW WE GOT HERE,” we think The Click Five would have done a bit better commercially). Follow up track, “D.) ALL OF THE ABOVE” is the first song that I’ve ever heard that’s centered around a multiple choice metaphor – it’s clever. Perfect to harken back to those high school vibes we’ve been talking about so much.
Our nod for album favorite goes to song six, “CALL HOME.” Arabia’s music is ever pleasant here, more easy-going guitars and electronic drums powering sugary-sweet pop chord progressions… But lyrical details like “But 10 years isn’t six months and I can’t just forget it” and “It’s easy to find comfort in grieving the past we already know / instead of facing the unknown head on and alone” make these songs feel just specific enough to feel personal, while still retaining their accessible vibes.
Some more rapid fire suggestions – “TWO YEARS LATER” is the ballad heartbreaker, with more of those juicy, aforementioned details that give you a real view into Mark’s heartbreak. The intro to “SWEET EMBRACE” is the best guitar riff on the album… And as you make your way through the rest of the songs HOW WE GOT HERE, you realize that Mark’s got himself a whole vibe. This album feels incredibly cohesive – and while we don’t wish himself any more heartbreak, if that’s what it takes to get more music out of this guy… Wishing you luck, Mark.
HOW WE GOT HERE is out now (October 17th, 2025). Check it out on Spotify, or, find all the different ways to support this album via Linktree.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna