Four Year Strong "Rise or Die Trying"

Take a whole lot of Set Your Goals and New Found Glory, toss in some bouncy, moog-infested power-pop and Taking Back Sunday-inspired sing-alongs, and you've uncovered the not-so-secret recipe to Four Year Strong's ultra-poppy, sort-of-edgy melodic punk/hardcore hybrid. Big old sugary vocal melodies absolutely cover each song and establish Rise or Die Trying as memorable for its catchiness, while double bass-y breakdowns attempt to fill in the group's (shallow) heavy side. To be honest, the entire record feels like a gimmick because it's so intentionally hooky and, for all practical purposes, an amalgamation of a bunch of other pop-punk and melodic hardcore bands' work. But, fuck it; I'm already in a better mood since I popped the record in and started writing this entry. These guys are far, far from being the next Set Your Goals, so don't expect anything that good. Just look for 11 songs of confident pop-punk with splashes of melodic hardcore.

Last-minute summer fun: Four Year Strong - Heroes Get Remembered Legends Never Die

Pick it up from Interpunk. Maybe, just maybe you'll get a free t-shirt! Wow!