From The Screen To Your Stereo Part II,
New Found Glory
People remember major events really well. Where they were on September 11, what they were doing when Princess Diana died, how they heard about John Lennon's death. I remember the first time I heard New Found Glory very vividly. It was 2000 and, just as Drive Thru had started it's golden era, I stumbled across NFG's first ever covers record. Being a student at the time and a big fan of Karate Kid and Neverending Story, to hear pop-punk covers quenched my musical thirst for a whole summer. And the summer after that. And the summer after that...
Seven years on and NFG have gone on to become one of the most influential pop-punk bands of their generation. They may not have sold as many CDs as Blink or Green Day, but they're revered by any band with a catchy chorus. That whole Drive Thru era spawned a tonne of soundalike bands that kick-started the whole pop-punk revival. And while the band may have grown up a tad with their last record - can we call it a commercial flop? - the band have gone back to their roots, re-signed to Drive Thru, and kicked out the cover jams. And in some style.
While the choice of some of these covers may be ever-so-slightly questionable, put in context this is the most fun record of the year. It does exactly what the first covers CD did - puts a smile on your face. And if the likes of 'Kiss Me' or 'Lovefool' don't make you want to get your pogo on, they never will. Donnie Darko, The Breakfast Club, and Napoleon Dynamite - all your favourite movies are here. In the same way the band went for kitsch first time round, they've done the same here. They may not be cinematic classics - Romeo and Juliet ain't that great a movie - but they're held in the same regard by teenagers as Karate Kid did for my generation. And if that's not enough the list of guest stars will almost certainly make you drool. Chris Carrabba, Max Bemis, Will Pugh, Patrick Stump, Adam Lazzara, Sheri Dupree and Lisa Loeb? All here.
Witness the video for 'Kiss Me' and you'll see what NFG - and this album - are all about. FUN. This is simply a record made with their friends for you and your friends to enjoy. It's the perfect summer record - from the crunchy 'Iris' to the pop-punk genius of 'Kiss Me'. And while one or two songs don't translate perfectly, this is still the soundtrack to your belated summer.
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