Review Summary: Florida kings of pop punk return to their punk roots.
Before A Day To Remember, or any of the other infinite bands who mix pop hooks with breakdowns, there was Florida's very own New Found Glory. They released a number of very good albums, and then in 2006 they released "Coming Home". Critics and fans tore the album apart, ridiculing its so-called "Maturity". With its poppish sheen, the piano tinted ballads, and the lack of edge, many fans wondered where the band would go next with their sound.
Enter "Not Without A Fight", NFG's latest. The album shows them returning to their punk and hardcore influenced sound that made songs like "My Friends Over You" so darn popular. The CD starts off with mid-tempo rocker titled "Right Where We Left Off". Very fitting, as the song opens with a chunky guitar riff, complete with subtle twists in the rhythm. It hints at the old band that we all fell in love with. However, the song becomes slightly boring after multiple listens, probably due to the slower speed.
But New Found Glory know what's up. The next 6 songs are an unrelenting attack of speed, catchy choruses, and hard edged riffs. "Don't Let Her Pull You Down" features Chad Gilbert's trademark yell in the chorus, and some of the best sing along verses you'll hear on the album. Lead single "Listen To Your Friends" has a poppy delivery and a strong chrous that'll make you wanna dance for hours.
"47" and "Truck Stop Blues" are undoubtedly some of the band's best work since Catalyst. The former features a speed metal-esque breakdown, as well as a trade off between Gilbert's shouts and vocalist Jordan Pundik's signature whine. The latter sounds like classic Blink-182, and the drums are set at a frantic tempo, making it one of the best songs on the album.
As if they needed any help, NFG enlisted Paramore's Haley Williams to sing on the chorus of the already great "Tangled Up", followed by the OUTSTANDING "I'll Never Love Again". This song is home to some amaing guitar work in the intro, and one of the best breakdowns the band have penned.
But before you get the wrong idea, "Not Without A Fight" definitely has its share of problems. The biggest, though, is the amount of filler thrown in on the second half. "Reasons" is a struggling 6/8 tune, only made tolerable by the chorus. "Such A Mess" is arguably one of the band's heaviest songs to date, but ends up slightly forgettable. "This Isn't You" is boring and sounds like it was written in five minutes, and while the first half of "Don't Let This Be The End" is promising and lyrically strong, the effect is ruined by the simple chorus, ending the album on a sour note.
Thrown in the middle of all this is the terrific "Heartless At Best", a true diamond in the rough. The song is beautifully put together, and the vocal harmonies that Pundik layers over are fantastic. While not exactly heavy, it's my pick for best song on the album, being the best lyrically also.
An exerpt:
"The twisted thoughts that come out of your mind
Are heartless at best
They keep you from your own recovery, I know
It takes fun out of living
When you have no life
You can't insert, you can't decide
And now you have the guilt of me on your lips"
Overall, though, "Not Without A Fight" is a great album. It's a throwback to the old NFG, with a touch of maturity that makes the songs stand out from 10 years of material. The album isn't New Found Glory's best; far from it. However, it's the best material they've released in 5 years.
