Millencolin isn't exactly blink-182 in terms of pop-punk fame. In fact, how many people have actually heard of this group outside of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 exposure it recieved? The fact that Pennybridge Pioneers, the record containing said exposed song, is the most popular record here just furthers this statement. Outside of their commercial flagship song No Cigar, Millencolin aren't too well known. Which, actually, is pretty sad, because these guys are mighty talented players of pop-punk music in my opinion. The reasons why (which may also be the reasons why
not) include their virtually carefree style of songwriting and less-than emotional grasp on enjoying life.
In terms of getting into the music via THPS2, there could be a little bias for those who grew up with No Cigar over a decade ago. After all, No Cigar is a very catchy and well-constructed song through and through. Even me being one who grew up with that tune, its easy to just flat-out like every song on here simply for familiarity purposes. That's not to say this is a repetitive album, au contraire. It's also just as easy to see how someone who never heard No Cigar can find this a great pop-punk album, between the aforementioned standout qualities, catchy-ass hooks in nearly every song, and an overall very easy-to-sit-through unfolding of songs. Fox, Right About Now, Hellman, and A-Ten all have the catchiest intros sure to get the listener drawn in with no hesitation. Song moods range from the fun and bouncy Fox, to the somewhat moody A-Ten, to the acoustic closer The Ballad. Little bores on this record, all the while having great variety.
Lead singer Nikola Sarcevic has fantastic range and can sing very well. It's not a terribly sophisticated voice either, making it very easy to get into yet also one of the more talented pop-punk voices around. The choruses of No Cigar, Fox and Hellman are among the record's absolute best. His voice also excels through the entirety of The Ballad, which is due part to the less punk atmopshere clearing the way for his great vocals. The only downside to his voice is, while he has great range, he still doesn't change his style very much, nor does he like to try new things too often. That doesn't ruin any parts of the songs, because he fits with the kind of music Millencolin play wonderfully, but it may leave a stale taste to some who sit through the entire album. Luckily, though, the song legnths are perfectin a way that
never drags, and isn't too short yet is just short enough to warrant another listen (which further contributes to the overall catchiness).
To conclude, it doesn't matter if you grew up with No Cigar, because this has the qualities of a great pop-punk record nontheless. It may jack the ratings up a bit for those that
did grow up with that song, but there are easily other reasons for there to be high ratings present here. It's catchy, fun, and never gets too moody in a My Chemical Romance or latter-day Green Day vein of pop-punk (one reason not everyone will like this record). Whether you're a fan of pop-punk, catchy music with great vocals, or just overall fun and light-hearted music, it's a great idea to check out Millencolin's Pennybridge Pioneers.
