Roses Are Red's iconic emo/melodic rock album Conversations was first released on September 21, 2004. Two decades later, the band is celebrating the milestone with three vinyl variants re-released via Smartpunk Records.
It is available on vinyl for the first time via Smartpunk Records here.
During the era of its original release, the band took the emo scene by storm on the Vans Warped Tour in 2004 and 2005, the Take Action Tour in 2006, on tours with My Chemical Romance, Alkaline Trio, and Hawthorne Heights, and in features with Alternative Press, Revolver, Outburn, and more.
This pressing includes the band’s cover of Smashing Pumpkins' "Cherub Rock" and a demo version of "Time Signals Progress." The band will also be performing a special "20 Years of Conversations" show on September 21, 2024 in Rochester, NY. The band’s second album What Became of Me has also been pressed to vinyl for the first time, and will be available September 21.
Roses Are Red is actively releasing new music in 2024 with their first release in 18 years, with "Memento" embodying the modern nostalgia of the elder emos.
Listen to "Memento" below.
When asked about the anniversary release, vocalist Vincent Minervino says,"Revisiting Conversations and the scene around it feels like reconnecting with an old flame. We all have those butterflies in our stomach, just like seeing a DM request from your first love. The entire experience means so much to us, and we couldn't have been more thrilled when Smartpunk approached us about a vinyl pressing to celebrate the 20th anniversary. We can't wait to play the songs again on stage with our old friends, and we are super excited for this new chapter of the band."
ABOUT ROSES ARE RED:
Blurring the line between aggressive melodic rock and hook-driven emo, Roses Are Red came together in late 2002 in Rochester, NY. Claiming influences ranging from Jimmy Eat World to Def Leppard, the quintet debuted in 2003 with the ten-song Handshakes and Heartbreaks on Enterprise Records. Touring behind Handshakes, the band caught the attention of Trustkill Records, signed in early 2004 and entered the studio that summer with Chris Badami (The Starting Line, The Early November). A stint on the summer's Warped Tour preceded the arrival of their label debut, Conversations, that September. Roses Are Red stayed on the road, hitting Europe with Underoath and Silverstein, and returning to the U.S. for 2005's Warped. Sharing stages over time with bands like My Chemical Romance, Story of the Year, and Bullet For My Valentine helped their fan base grow even further. Working with Brian McTernan (Thrice, Circa Survive), the band's next effort, What Became of Me was released in June 2006 as one of Alternative Press's "Most Anticipated" that year. The band participated in the Take Action Tour 2006 alongside Matchbook Romance, The Early November, and Chiodos. In 2024, the band reformed after a 17-year hiatus to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Conversations and released brand new track "Memento."
ABOUT SMARTPUNK RECORDS:
Smartpunk has been a recognizable name in the scene for a long time (Remember that sponsored Warped Tour stage?!). After exchanging several hands and countless ideas of what it could and should be, they decided to start a record label in 2016 with the main idea of focusing solely on reissuing records that have been out of print or never on vinyl. After all, they're a label of vinyl dorks themselves! After releasing Set Your Goals' Mutiny and Gameface's Good, they started to venture into signing newer bands. They actively balance in between many worlds — putting out amazing music from friends and bands that rock, reissuing older titles, and partnering with other incredible labels in our scene and doing exclusive color variants of their releases.
"Since forming the record label, Smartpunk Records has released timeless albums such as Less Than Jake's Anthem, Nominee's Lowlife, RIVALS' Sad Looks Pretty on Me, Virginity's POPMORTEM, and melodic skate punkers The Swellers' My Everest.
