One thing you have to respect about the pop punk quintet New Found Glory is its consistency with its sound. Of all the original pop punk acts of our generation, New Found Glory is the one group that has always remained true to its musical style. Fall Out Boy became poster boys for the mainstream, Good Charlotte made a horrible attempt at becoming more electronic, and until recently, Blink 182 had no longer existed.
New Found Glory continue to please its fans with’ its newest release, ‘Not Without a Fight.’ The album, which was produced by Blink 182 front man Mark Hoppus, features a pleasing blend of the band’s earlier pop style and its more recent, mature sound.
The album starts off with the powerful track ‘Right Where We Left Off,’ a song whose title tells the listener everything they need to know about the album’s direction. The song is full of energy from start to finish, featuring a sound reminiscent of its ‘Sticks and Stones’ era from early 2003. This was a great pick for an opening track, as it greatly portrays the fast paced energy that continues on throughout the rest of the album.
The single for the album, ‘Listen to Your Friends,’ is another great standout track. Just like the opening track, ‘Listen to Your Friends’ continues with the fast paced energy and pop punk vibe that brings back nostalgic memories of my high school music scene eight years ago.
Two of the best tracks on the album are ’47’ and ‘Truck Stop Blues,’ which are both noteworthy for their incredibly catchy choruses, leaving you humming along before your first listen even comes to a close.
While New Found Glory have always been successful in the pop punk genre, the presence of producer Mark Hoppus may be what made this record stand out so highly amongst the rest of the bands back catalog.
Being the front man and bass player for arguably the most popular pop punk band ever, Blink 182, Hoppus has been an influence on New Found Glory’s music since the band’s earlier years. With that in mind, one can pick out many of the catchy melodies and harmonies present on ‘Not Without a Fight’ with a Hoppus feel to them.
Although the group’s popularity may have dwindled a bit over the years, New Found Glory have never stopped giving it its all when it came to its music, always keeping the interests of the band’s fans a priority.
‘Not Without a Fight’ is a great return to the band’s poppy punk roots, and hopefully a sure return toward popularity in the mainstream.
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