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New Found Glory – Makes Me Sick

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Melody Bot, May 1, 2017.

  1. Melody Bot May 1, 2017
    Melody Bot

    Your friendly little forum bot. Staff Member

    This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply.

    In 2006, New Found Glory took their biggest risk as a band by releasing Coming Home, an album that largely abandoned the band’s customary pop-punk/easycore stylings. Produced by Thon Panunzio, Coming Home introduced more straight-forward rock elements that included keys, pianos, and strings – not surprising considering Panunzio has worked with some of the biggest rock legends of all time (Ozzy, Bruce, Joan Jett, etc.). Perhaps unsurprisingly, the album fell flat commercially and was also the band’s last album to be released on a major label. But creatively and critically it was a success as Coming Home has been regarded as the band’s most daring effort of their career and let the pop-punk world know that New Found Glory would never make the same album twice. It also planted the seeds of what was to come ten years later.

    The road to New Found Glory’s ninth full length album, Makes Me Sick, is paved with triumphant returns (Not Without A Fight), failures (Radiosurgery), and everything else in between (Resurrection). NFG continued to push their brand of pop-punk towards different genres and ideas, but Makes Me Sick is the record that finally puts it all together into one cohesive, consistent LP. The album’s ten tracks are pristinely produced by Aaron Sprinkle and are littered with the most synth and keys work since 2004’s Catalyst (which featured the band collaborating with James Dewees) and the aforementioned Coming Home. But rather than repeating history, Makes Me Sick effortlessly glides between the pop and rock spectrum. Opening track “Your Jokes Aren’t Funny Anymore” is the band’s most immediate track-one since “Understatement,” flawlessly blending Chad Gilbert’s power chords with Motion City Soundtrack-esque moog that’s instantly infectious, creating something that’s familiar but fresh-sounding at the same time.

    Vocalist Jordan Pundik turns in his best effort in nearly a decade, his voice cutting like a knife through pop-punk bangers like “Party On Apocalypse” and “Happy Being Miserable,” while the duo of bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Cyrus Bolooki provide the backbone to island groovers like “Call Me Anti-Social” and “The Sound of Two Voices.” The latter is one of the band’s most dynamic curveball’s in its discography while the electrifying “Barbed Wire” wouldn’t sound out of place on the next Carly Rae Jepsen album. And “Blurred Vision” is Coming Home Ten Years Later; the jangly soft-rock chorus, shimmering synth, and soaring Gilbert guitar solo create one of the album’s best moments.

    And the pop-punk lifers shouldn’t fret too much, however, as NFG sprinkled in just enough of its signature hooks within Makes Me Sick (“Say It Don’t Spray It” and “Party On Apocalypse”), but overall the album’s crisp thirty minute running time mainly features the band branching out. The band closes out the record with “The Cheapest Thrill,” a song that showcases the band nailing the sound they aimed for on Radiosurgery, finally perfecting that balance that record failed to achieve.

    Enough cannot be said about Sprinkle’s production however; Makes Me Sick is New Found Glory’s best sounding record by a long shot. Nothing sounds dull at all – it’s bright without sounding too manufactured. It has the best guitar work of Gilbert’s career and sonically these tracks mesh so well with Pundik’s voice. The album is already pretty damn good but Sprinkle’s work elevates it to another level.

    Twenty years into the game and New Found Glory continues to thrive in a genre that creates and spits out bands in no time, evolving with their sound while never giving in to what sells. Makes Me Sick is a testament to the band’s longevity and creativity. It also sounds like a band that’s having fun again, at last finding their footing as a song-writing quartet. Obviously, it would have been easy to continue to rest on their pop-punk laurels and continue to put out retreads of Stick and Stones and Not Without A Fight, but I appreciate the fact that NFG has never been afraid to fail. What the band has gone through since the release of Coming Home has all led up to Makes Me Sick, the band’s best record in nearly a decade. And no matter what path they take next, at least we know New Found Glory will continue to never hold back any punches.

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  2. Ryan G May 1, 2017
    Ryan G

    Moderator Moderator

    Nice review. Album didn't really stick with me much on early listens. I'll have to spend more time with it. Last album I loved by them was Not Without A Fight.
     
  3. Jason Tate May 1, 2017
    Jason Tate

    liner notes Staff Member

    Their best in a decade for sure.
     
    notbrokejustbent, AlwaysEvolving21, Joe4th and 8 others like this.
  4. Jackbo487 May 1, 2017
    Jackbo487

    Regular

    totally agree on all counts, and especially agree with the statement that Cheapest Thrill accomplishes what they tried to do on Radiosurgery.
     
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  6. bptky May 1, 2017
    bptky

    check out Musica - Akron's best live music venue

    I wasn't crazy about 'Happy Being Miserable' and 'Party On Apocalypse' at first, but after a few listens, they're actually some of the best songs on the album. 'Say It Don't Spray It' is one of my favorites too, reminds me of Sticks and Stones-era NFG (start of each verse specifically reminds me of 'Forget My Name'). Other than that, I'm having a hard time getting into the over-production of this record. Don't get me wrong, NFG has always been one of my favorite bands, and I'll definitely be giving this a few more spins. If history has taught me anything about NFG, they usually follow up an album like with something awesome.
     
  7. pbueddi May 1, 2017
    pbueddi

    Trusted

    enjoyed the review. agree with pretty much everything. still loving this album!
     
  8. Roddy152 May 1, 2017
    Roddy152

    Newbie

    I'm really happy for this record and NFG. hoping for a good first week sales
     
  9. bruinrk May 1, 2017
    bruinrk

    Newbie

    really love the new album. And after hearing them play Coming Home live this weekend, it only affirmed my love for that album still. That album is extremely underrated and is actually a lot faster and punkier live then you'd think.
     
    Jackbo487, joe.boy.fresh. and Butinsmallsteps like this.
  10. Iamhollywood315 May 1, 2017
    Iamhollywood315

    Regular

    I get to see them Thursday play some great records. I like the new album too bad i won't hear any of it.
     
  11. carrytheweird May 1, 2017
    carrytheweird

    www.nrdc.org

    Disagree with some of this. I like the album a lot, but it doesn't remind me much of Coming Home at all. I do think it's a stand out compared to more recent albums from them.

    Also, Radiosurgery was a failure? I actually love a lot of that album, and saw nothing but good things said about it from friends and most reviewers. I suppose I don't know how it did commercially, if that's where that comes from.
     
    Petit nain des Îles likes this.
  12. xenoabe May 1, 2017
    xenoabe

    Regular

    One of my favorite bands of all time. Love this album.

    Also, while definitely not their strongest efforts I didn't hate Radiosurgery or Resurrection near as much as everyone else seems to.
     
    joe.boy.fresh. likes this.
  13. Bayside 182 May 1, 2017
    Bayside 182

    Wolverine Supporter

    Nice Review! Really enjoying this album. Nice to see them venture into some slightly new areas on this one and its way better than the last 2 albums.
     
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  15. aniafc May 1, 2017
    aniafc

    Trusted

    They're coming to Columbus (after going to Cleveland and Cincinnati previously) on the upcoming second leg of their anniversary tour and they still won't play Coming Home here. I was more than willing to travel to Cincy or Cleve for that album, and the fact that they'll be 15 mins away in Columbus would have been even better. But nope.

    Also, this record is their best since Coming Home easily.
     
    Butinsmallsteps likes this.
  16. wisdomfordebris May 1, 2017
    wisdomfordebris

    Moderator Moderator

    Easily. I never, ever, EVER thought I'd be this into a new NFG record. The production helps a lot.

    Barbed Wire would be one of my least favorite songs on here if it weren't for the bridge and final chorus, which elevate it to one of my favorites.
     
    benschuyler, Butinsmallsteps and Jason Tate like this.
  17. FTank May 1, 2017
    FTank

    Prestigious Prestigious

    Great review, I agree with pretty much everything especially that this is their best in a long while. I don't hear the Radiosurgery comparison much for the closer, though.
     
    trevorshmevor likes this.
  18. tdlyon May 1, 2017
    tdlyon

    Most Dope Supporter

    After I relistened to this today I thought back to when the last time I enjoyed an album by them this much and I realized that this is probably my favorite since Catalyst. Really, really good. I love how they're still making some of their strongest material this far into their careers
     
  19. crunchprank May 2, 2017
    crunchprank

    crunchprank.net Prestigious

    I wasn't really excited for this album, but after all the hype in the album release thread last Friday I thought I'd give it a shot. I gotta say, it left pretty much the same impression on me that everything they've done since Coming Home has. I personally don't hear any Coming Home in this album (which would have been a welcome sound), but to me this is about what I'd rate the majority of NFG's albums since then, and that's a meh/10 unfortunately. I've really wanted to enjoy their stuff.
     
    carrytheweight and cosmickid like this.
  20. SpinelessYesBloke May 2, 2017
    SpinelessYesBloke

    Co-host of The Wasting Time Podcast

    I think album is a huge disappointment, the first song is by far the strongest. Aside from that, the songwriting is pretty lazy and I can't see this going down as a classic. Radiosurgery was much better than this effort
     
    carrytheweight likes this.
  21. Callum Macleod May 2, 2017
    Callum Macleod

    Do or do not, there is no try.

    Great review! Bang on about there not being enough good things to say about the production! I feel bad for Radiosurgery - I feel like the only person who really likes that album, ha! Would take it over Resurrection any day of the week.
     
  22. jorbjorb May 2, 2017
    jorbjorb

    7 rings

    I had this album on repeat all weekend. It reminds me of a mix between coming home and sticks and stones. Two of my favorite albums.
     
    Chris Prindle likes this.
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  24. paythetab May 2, 2017
    (Last edited: May 2, 2017)
    paythetab

    Chorus.FM Album Reviewer (Adam Grundy) Supporter

    Love this album and this review is spot on! Favorite tracks so far are "Call Me Anti-social" and the Hayley Williams-themed ballad(?) "Short and Sweet"
     
  25. somethingliketj May 2, 2017
    somethingliketj

    And that's why you always leave a note.

    Love this record - great review. Definitely their best output in a decade, and to your point, it sounds fantastic from a production standpoint. Jordan has never sounded better either.
     
  26. pbueddi May 2, 2017
    pbueddi

    Trusted

    not even close
     
  27. SmithBerryCrunch May 2, 2017
    SmithBerryCrunch

    Trusted Prestigious

    I'd call Resurrection the failure rather than Radiosurgery.

    Love this album though. The synths are a nice addition. So is the second guitar.
     
    Petit nain des Îles likes this.
  28. fredwordsmith May 2, 2017
    fredwordsmith

    Trusted Supporter

    Second guitar makes everything sing. Chad, if you're ever reading this - GET A TOURING GUITARIST. Nobody doubts how fucking good you are at guitar! Just get someone to help underlay those sweet riffs.

    Love, love, LOVE the album. Great review.
     
    Neon Light likes this.