New Found Glory – "Not Without A Fight"

Album: Not Without A Fight
Artist: New Found Glory
Label: Epitaph Records
Release date: 10th March 2009

Listen to the album in Spotify

New Found Glory‘s fifth studio album, 2006′s Coming Home, was pop-punk done right. The album was filled with sumptious pop songs, and, under the guidance of producer Thom Panunzio (The Wallflowers, Motörhead), the band became something more; they became a high quality pop-rock act, with a promising future and the ability to transcend previously scathing critics. Naturally, after such a strong release, I eagerly awaited its follow-up. That is, until the band announced that their next album would be a return to their “roots”. Oh, New Found. What a mistake you’ve made.

For an album entitled Not Without a Fight, the album lacks an honest sense of determination and triumph. Instead, it feels like the band is trying a little too hard to suggest that they’ve returned with renewed vigour. Communal, gang-like backing vocals pop-up often throughout the songs, but they seem contrived and unnecessary, while defiant ‘anti-love’ songs, “I’ll Never Love Again” and “Don’t Let Her Pull You Down”, are embarrasing statements from men who are approaching thirty. Both vocalist Jordan Pundik and guitarist Chard Gilbert have been through divorces since the release of their last album, and this could have resulted in a mature and explosive release from the band. However, this record feels immature, and most of these tracks feel like they could have been written by teenage boys. For example, “47″ is a solid track, until some yelping backing vocals announce:  “I called 46 times,” and Pundik replies: “and you answered on the 47th.”  Now that I’m older, and my musical palate is not limited to three-chord pop-punk, I don’t really want to hear needy men singing about unanswered phone calls, unless it’s with gutsy, honest and mature lyrical introspection, like on last year’s perfect break-up album, The Midnight Organ Fight by Frightened Rabbit.

On a positive note, Jordan Pundik’s vocals have retained that smoother quality which flavoured Coming Home, and lead single, “Listen to My Friends”, is a feel-good anthem which slashes its way into your sun-drenched soul, insisting that you sing along. “Tangled Up” and “This Isn’t You” are, arguably, amongst New Found Glory’s finest songs, and suggest that this album could have been a much stronger effort.

This isn’t a bad album -  it just isn’t as good as Coming Home, which was, hands down, their best release to date. I’m of the opinion that regression is not what a pop-punk band needs in 2009, and the band’s decision to shed the maturity of their last effort, and adhere to pop-punk conventions, is dissapointing and ultimately dissolves the potential the band held three years previously. However, from what I’ve heard, New Found Glory purists seem to love this album, and, after all, isn’t that what really matters?

Our Arbitrary Numerical Verdict: