New Found Glory
Catalyst
Drive Thru/Geffen
They haven’t quite gone all Blink-182 on us, but New Found Glory’s fourth album, Catalyst, shows a definite musical progression from its gold-selling predecessor, Sticks and Stones, even though it’s an evolutionary rather than revolutionary progression.
The razor-sharp melodies and punchy riffs still remain, especially on “All Downhill From Here” and “No News Is Good News.” However, they’re complimented with a slight deviation of styles in places. The ballad “I Don’t Wanna Know” tries to cash in on the success of Blink-182’s “I Miss You,” while “Failure’s Not Flattering” makes use of 80s-style synths.
Catalyst may hint at a change in sound for New Found Glory, but the kind of three-minute pop-punk that made the band famous is still copious, as the frantic “Truth Of My Youth” and archetypal punk-pop tune “This Disaster” prove.
New Found Glory: http://www.newfoundglory.com
