Back in my day, when Pandora was king, and pop punk was at the height of its popularity, I was listening to a pop punk station, and sometimes Joyce Manor would play.
I remember when “Falling in Love” came on for the first time, and I was getting ready for class. I stopped and looked over at my phone in awe of this track; it was so simple, yet in its simplicity was a sincerity I hadn’t heard from a band like that before. I checked the name of the record, Never Hungover Again. The name made me smirk; it was an inside joke almost, a particular understanding of late youth that I would come to appreciate later through this album. This year is the fifth anniversary of the record, and it has aged with grace.
The California-based pop punk band from Torrence, CA formed in 2008 and released their most prolific record in 2014, “Never Hung Over Again,” released through Epitaph Records, and it took the pop-punk/indie world by storm.
This record features hits like “Falling in Love Again,” “End of the Summer,” and “Schley.” The straight-shooting lyricism coupled with the sheer force of the instrumentals added up to the match-made-in-heaven record that this is. The production of this record exceptionally mixes a garage sound with the professional production that rounds out the aesthetic of the album. Its driving melodies and moshable riffs capture the best of pop punk, and every track feels like the kick-off to a house show set.
While the album clocked in at about 40 some minutes, its emotional impact lasts for what feels like days, and its brief,-but-poignant take on life in 2014 is accurate and influential for the records to come. After five years, it’s evident that Never Hung Over Again has the stay power for a lifetime or two.
