Upon hearing that New Found Glory were releasing a new album in 2017, I cant deny that a bit of nostalgia kicked in. Having not released an album since 2014, I had no idea what to expect. Would they go back to their roots of delightful pop punk? Or would it be that ever-so-slightly edgier sound of more recent albums such as Resurrection. I’m sure I’d have been happy either way but on first listen, I’m pleased to say it was the former.
Having been a massive player in the late ’90s/early ’00s pop punk scene, I was glad to see them go back to these familiar sounds. They released “Happy Being Miserable” to the public back in February as a little teaser of what was to come. It definitely flung me back to my more energetic and youthful days of heading to countless New Found Glory gigs around the UK. Hopefully the full album would be more of the same…
Makes Me Sick is the ninth studio album by American rock band New Found Glory.
The album kicks off with a song that wouldn’t be out of place on their 2000 self-titled album that really showed that New Found Glory had arrived, and in big way. It’s a catchy number, full of those familiar Jordan Pundik vocals I grew up with. Add in some classic power chords and upbeat tempo and it’s something all NFG fans will surely love.
The album ticks along in a similar vein until we get to “The Sound Of Two Voices”. This track stuck out for me, but not exactly for the right reasons. It seems completely out of place on this album, or on any New Found Glory album for that matter. If you took the vocals out, it wouldn’t seem out of place on the Copacabana beach. The lyrics struck me as unimaginative and a bit bland. The same few lines are repeated in the chorus as if they were just an afterthought. This track needs to be skipped over.
After that, the album seems to kick back into gear and the smile returns to my face. Like a little child I grin with enthusiasm as here comes a sure fire hit in “Barbed Wire”. It’s catchy, upbeat and the chorus is back to NFG’s best. There’s a breakdown towards the end of the song and then a little drum solo that I think has been missing throughout the album. This is the best song on the album without question.
Overall the album did whet the appetite, but I feel it could of been notched up a bit. A bit more of Cyrus Bolooki on the drums would definitely have helped. Also, some of the later tracks are a bit slower where I feel the energy is lacking. I’d class the whole album in the “good, not great” category. It’s definitely an album I will listen to quite a bit but to nowhere near the same level as the band’s earlier stuff.
Author: Bradley, Plymouth Store
