New Found Glory
Makes Me Sick
Genre: Pop-Punk
Release Date: April 28, 2017
Label: Hopeless Records
Under the iTunes description for New Found Glory’s ninth studio effort, Makes Me Sick, it reads “20 years in and they’re as good as they’ve ever been.” Not even a minute into Makes Me Sick and you can hear that this sentiment is in fact. New Found Glory are a band that only get better with each and every record they put out, every performance they take on, every tour that traverses the world throughout their twenty year career. I had the great pleasure of catching night three of a three-night stand celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their band yesterday evening in San Francisco, and I can say with full confidence that they are one of the top five best live bands around now.
While New Found Glory is a band that maintains a level of consistency when it comes to genre on every record they put out, there is always some willingness to experiment that can be heard. This time around, Makes Me Sick incorporates a number of synth lines throughout, bringing a slight 80’s flair to their sound. But the crazy thing is that you could still hear out on a sweat-filled day on the Vans Warped Tour, in a packed punk club in San Francisco, or even in a large theater show, and you’d still want to mosh and crowd surf the same way you would to an album like Sticks and Stones.
“Your Jokes Aren’t Funny” brings forth tongue-in-cheek lyrics, pop-punk guitar riffs, and a booming chorus in traditional New Found Glory fashion, while adding a bit of that synth I was referencing a paragrah ago. Tracks like “Party on Apocalypse” and “Happy Being Miserable” are extremely catchy in both melody and lyricism. “Blurred Vision” showcases a different side of the band, one that is willing to step a bit out of their comfort zone and make a song that is on the softer side of the genre. Jordan Pundik’s vocals shine through while Chad Gilbert’s guitar, Ian Grushka’s punk-growl bass lines and drummer Cyrus Bolooki serves as the heartbeat at the center of a powerful pop-punk band. This is easily one of New Found Glory’s best efforts, and clocking in at just barely over a half hour really does leave people wanting more. Just in time for album number ten.
New Found Glory
www.newfoundglory.com
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This has been another Shameless Promotion.