Review Summary: I dig the artwork, but how's the music?
New Found Glory is as pop punk as it gets, adding to that, it’s a genre that's as hit or miss as you can get. Despite being one of the main pioneers of the genre, they’ve always been the hardcore kids within the pop punk crowd, with the band’s EP “Tip of the Iceberg” is the most prominent display of their occasional melodic hardcore style, it was “Catalyst” that saw them first truly willing to turn up the occasional heavy notch.
Some may complain about vocalist Jordan’s vocals may sound a bit too whiny or high, but this is pop punk after all, and he is a very capable vocalist within the genre. The guitar riffs while simplistic and fun, add to the catchiness, and the bassist is actually heard. If you listened to New Found Glory’s other albums (not including “Tip of the Iceberg”) you may have noticed that this particular album is heavier and displays more hardcore influences (especially when compared to “Coming Home”).
The first actual track “It’s All Downhill from Here” is the one album’s finest songs and the most well known single, infamous for TRL retiring the song off of MTV. As with most pop punk the chorus is insanely catchy, and has a very energetic flow. "I Don't Wanna Know" is the ballad and to put it simply, it's one of those songs that you feel gay for listening to it, but it's because you love it so much. It's a really moving and soulful song, that brings in violins, female vocals, the works! and none of that makes the songs feel overproduced, it all feels natural. Songs like “This Disaster” & “At Least I’m Known for Something” displays more hardcore influences, which features awesome metallic riffs and even some yelled vocals. “The Truth of My Youth” is very much akin to New Found Glory material found on the two previous albums. One thing that brings this album down however is that despite the awesome catchy choruses of songs of “It’s All Downhill from Here”, and “Your Biggest Mistake”, the group depends on these catchy choruses and everything else feels boring and an excuse to lead to the chorus, without these choruses the song falls flat on it’s back. The weakest tracks on the album are “Over the Head, Below the Knees” and “I’d Kill to Fall Asleep” as the choruses are boring, and with boring choruses bring boring songs.
If you want to find catchy, moving choruses this is the place to come, however if you want something that doesn’t depend on the songs catchiness you might want to try another album, another band, or even another genre. This is an album that displays “bros over hoes!” attitude, and a “*** your ex, she’s a bitch!” vibe throughout, but hey the kids like it, and it’s not that bad sounds like a win to me.
