New Found Glory - Not WIthout A Fight (2009)

With guitar hooks you could use to pick up a small animal, NFG still continue to nail their colours ever so proudly to the pop punk mast. Aptly titled opener, 'Right Where We Left off', wrestles bouncingly with an oft-visited subject matter of theirs - lust as a weapon and the pitfalls attached to feelings of it. The balance between chugging rhythm and the bemused vocal projection of Jordan Pundik, is something that producer Mark Hoppus has obviously paid some attention to. A more stirring take on punk 'Listen To Your Friends', whilst having a typical high school rock theme comes from the school of yearning song-building that is synonymous with British punks A; especially in the more drawn out vocals akin to the style Jason Perry has always used to good effect. It may come as a dose of bitter disappointment to those who have followed these Florida tykes over the past decade and more, but there is an element of maturity to the lyrics and the song style tends to draw out the mood a lot more. 'Truck Stop Blues' displays better than most their meaningful lyrical strut, as life on the road is robbed of its glory; "I'm in a different state every night, we're kept together by telephone lines. The mile markers help me count down the next time I'll be around, the only thing I rely on is fallen leaves." Old skool Rock N' Roll riffs gives 'I'll Never Love Again' a nostalgic edge and their heavier side is leant on in the metal touching 'Reasons', and continues into the demoralised 'Such A Mess'. There is a veil of darkness that is beginning to hide some of the frivolity, and an emo trickle runs through the album - especially in the lyrics. Every album of this ilk needs a tear-jerking power ballad and, in 'Heartless At Best' New Found Glory has just this. 'Don't Let This Be The End', is the epitome of the ballsy, pop punk sound that has given this Florida troupe continuing success. It looks like they still have the vigour and rhythm to keep it going for some years yet.

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