BOWLING FOR SOUP - POP DRUNK SNOT BREAD
Bowling for Soup’s new release, Pop Drunk Snot Bread is exactly what you’d expect from a veteran pop-punk band releasing a consistent style of music for over 25 years.
Their knowledge of the genre is probably the most experienced of bands still writing and they execute it in textbook fashion. It plays on the memory of the golden years where pop-punk ruled the charts, wrapped contextually in modern subjects.
The Texas-based group haven’t changed much over the years and so there isn’t much to get excited about in regards to a development in what has been produced.
However, that doesn’t necessarily equate to a bad result and fortunately they are able to keep having fun making music which still holds up in the genre. It’s a nice addition for those long-term followers, and shows that they can still be relevant like Limp Bizkit did with STILL SUCKS.
‘Greatest Of All Time’ feels like a tongue in cheek attempt to stake their name at the top of the pop- punk Hall of Fame but ultimately is whimsical and sets the tone for the rest that follows. Rounding off the introduction to Pop Drunk Snot Bread is ‘Getting Old Sucks (But Everybody’s Doing It)’. It’s got that distinctive style of punchy bass and chaotic riffs that one would expect from them. This older style is driven home with ironic lyrics that acknowledges their ageing mortality.
The first of two interludes follows and is classic Bowling For Soup, corny, dad-like puns that feels almost cringey. They don’t really fit in with the natural flow of the track line-up and come across as an attempt to maintain their lighthearted humour. But the first of the two actually does split up two very contrasting songs as ‘The Best We Can’, changes the pace quite drastically from what surrounds it.
‘The Best We Can’ has a stripped back acoustic sound that warmly pulls at the heartstrings, a romantic ballad that every teenager longs to add to their collection of angsty bops. It’s lyrics are endearing and serves as a refreshing change in pace to the rest of their latest release, making it arguably one of the stronger additions to their compendium of work.
‘After All These Beers’ deliver a compelling conclusion to Pop Drunk Snot Bread, it rings a genuine appreciation from the band to still be able to continue doing what they love most. It evokes a positive feeling that is a great way to come away from a listening experience, and is a persuading factor to draw an audience back continually.
Bowling for Soup sign off with a short reprise of the opening track that feels like another cheeky plea to be acknowledged as the ‘Greatest Of All Time’. It also feels like a clever psychological ploy to inadvertently get listeners to come away feeling that, albeit a very on the nose and slightly sarcastic method.
Bowling for Soup latest instalment of music will probably please long-time fans and new ones discovering the genre but leaves room for improvement as the band have struggled to change up the formula to drive any new interest in what many already expect from them. With this being said, it’s certainly not a bad album and it’s good to see another all-star from the 00’s era return with more music.
David Barter
★★★☆☆