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Recorded over six weeks in late 2004, ''Commit This to Memory'' was created largely at Seedy Underbelly Studios, a suburban home converted into a studio in Los Angeles' [[Valley Village, Los Angeles|Valley Village]] region. The album was partially composed there and in their hometown of [[Minneapolis]], during a period in which frontman [[Justin Pierre]] was seeking treatment for [[alcohol abuse]]. He aimed for stronger [[storytelling]] in his lyricism, inspired by the work of [[Tom Waits]], [[Ben Folds]], and [[John K. Samson]]. Hoppus mainly worked with the band on finalizing song arrangements.
Upon release, the album was viewed as the band’sband's breakthrough,<ref name="cb">{{cite news|url=http://citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-31942-reeling_in_the_years.html|title=Reeling in the Years|date=January 14, 2015|work=Cincinnati CityBeat|___location=[[Cincinnati]], Ohio|author=Reyan Ali|access-date=May 29, 2015}}</ref> with its gold-certified lead single "[[Everything Is Alright]]" adopted as their signature song. The album peaked at number two on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'s}} [[Independent Albums]] chart. The singles' music videos achieved rotation on cable channel [[MTV2]] while the band toured alongside [[Fall Out Boy]] and [[Panic! at the Disco]]. In 2014, ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' referred to the album as a pop-punk classic, "full of hook-laden, keyboard-assisted songs whose bright melodies don't mask the despair and self-loathing lurking beneath them."<ref name=avclub>{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/article/beginners-guide-bouncy-buzz-pop-punk-201853|title=A beginner's guide to the bouncy buzz of pop-punk|newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]]|author1=Kyle Ryan |author2=Jason Heller |author3=David Anthony |date=March 6, 2014|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
==Background==
Motion City Soundtrack was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Vocalist Justin Pierre and guitarist Joshua Cain were friends who had come up playing in several local bands. Influenced by the synth-heavy rock of bands like [[the Rentals]] and [[Superchunk]], the duo formed Motion City Soundtrack in 1997. It went through several lineup changes, with the band gaining permanent members Tony Thaxton (drums), Jesse Johnson
(keys) and Matthew Taylor (bass) in 2001. The quintet recorded and self-released their debut album, ''[[I Am the Movie]]'', in 2002, selling copies out of the back of their tour van for a year.<ref name="theage"/> The next year, it was picked up for larger distribution through California-based independent label Epitaph, best- known as the home of punk rockers [[the Offspring]] and [[Bad Religion]]. The group were part of aan abundance of Epitaph signings, including [[Matchbook Romance]] and [[From First to Last]], amid concerns the label had strayed too far from its roots, or "a little too [[emo]]."<ref name="cleve">{{cite news|title=Cain is Able : Motion City Soundtrack's Joshua Cain is all business|author=Chris Rager|date=December 20, 2004|work=[[Cleveland Free Times]]}}</ref> The band toured heavily in support of the LP, attracting a new fanbase; their 2004 stint on the famed Vans Warped Tour was considered a "must-see" among punk fans.<ref name="cleve"/>
Their rise to prominence continued when the group joined Blink-182 - then one of the largest pop-punk acts worldwide - on a European arena tour. That band’sband's bassist, Mark Hoppus, had first heard of the group from an employee at his clothing company, [[Atticus Clothing]]. He enjoyed the group so much that he raved about them in ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'' magazine, and invited them to open for Blink. The six musicians became quick friends, frequently talking backstage before performances.<ref name="shooman"/><ref name="Hoppus"/> Hoppus was developing an interest in recording music from a production standpoint, having recently acquired a large amount of gear and amplifiers.<ref name="Hoppus"/> At the final show of the tour, Cain went to Hoppus' dressing room and asked him to produce their next record.<ref name="mtv">{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1617362/motion-city-soundtrack-tell-blink-182s-mark-hoppus-how-great.jhtml|title=Motion City Soundtrack Tell Blink-182's Mark Hoppus How Great He Is|author=James Montgomery|date=July 31, 2009|publisher=[[MTV News]]|access-date=November 4, 2012}}</ref> Although Hoppus had never produced anything before, he was excited to be a part of the album and accepted the offer.<ref name="Hoppus"/><ref name=rs/>
==Recording and production==
==Reception==
{{AlbumMusic ratings
| rev1 =[[AbsolutePunk]] | rev1Score = (Favorable<!--Score is broken-->)<ref name="Apunk">{{cite web|url=http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=106408|title=Motion City Soundtrack – Commit This To Memory|last=Kohli|first=Rohan|website=[[AbsolutePunk]]|access-date=November 28, 2009}}</ref>
|rev2= [[Allmusic]]|rev2Score= {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="Allm">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r743038|pure_url=yes}}|title=Commit This to Memory > Overview|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|last=Loftus|first=Johnny|access-date=November 28, 2009}}</ref>
==Track listing==
{{track listing
{{tracklist
| all_writing = Motion City Soundtrack
| headline = Commit This to Memory
| length12 = 5:19
}}
{{track listing
{{tracklist
| all_writing =
| headline = Bonus Tracks
|
