Burning at Both Ends

This article is about the Set Your Goals album. For the song by Nik Kershaw, see The Works (Nik Kershaw album). For the 2022 film, see Burning at Both Ends (film).

Burning at Both Ends
Six guys on the side of the road next to a van with birds circling above them
Studio album by
Set Your Goals
ReleasedJune 28, 2011
RecordedOctober 2010 – January 2011
Studio
  • Salad Days, Baltimore, Maryland
  • Tree Fort, Los Angeles, California
GenreMelodic hardcore, pop punk
Length53:33
LabelEpitaph
ProducerBrian McTernan, Mike Green
Set Your Goals chronology
This Will Be the Death of Us
(2009) 		Burning at Both Ends
(2011)
Singles from Burning at Both Ends
  1. "Certain"
    Released: May 20, 2011
  2. "Product of the 80's"
    Released: June 4, 2012

Burning at Both Ends is the third studio album by American pop punk band Set Your Goals. Recording for the album began in October and November 2010 with producer Brian McTernan in Baltimore, Maryland. The group took a break to support You Me at Six on their UK tour in December; they were unable to fly back until the end of the month due to bad weather to finish the album. The sessions resumed and ran in to mid-January when the band ran out of studio time. They briefly tracked with second producer Mike Green in Los Angeles, California. Following recording, the band embarked on two US tours, one supporting Parkway Drive and the other alongside August Burns Red.

Leading up to the album's release announcement, "Start the Reactor" and "Exit Summer" were made available for streaming, and "Certain" served as the first single. Burning at Both Ends was released through independent label Epitaph Records in June 2011. A stint on the Warped Tour and performances at the Australian Soundwave Counter-Revolution festival followed. The band continued touring the US until the end of the year with two supporting slots for New Found Glory and Four Year Strong, and a separate headlining tour soon after. Shows in South America and festival appearances preceded a 2012 co-headlining US tour with Cartel and a UK tour. Following this, "Product of the 80's" was released as a single in June.

Described as a melodic hardcore and pop punk record, Burning at Both Ends has a slower tempo than the group's previous albums. It peaked at number 165 on the Billboard 200 and charted on the Billboard component charts—Independent Albums and Top Rock Albums. Burning at Both Ends received a favourable response from critics, although some noted the lack of energy and tempo. Dead Press! included the album on a pop punk best-of list.