Why is pop-punk such a dirty word and such an under appreciated genre? Has it always been that way? Here is a little story…
I’ve know the guys in New Found Glory for roughly six years (well before they became superstars featured on MTV’s Cribs) and aside from (perhaps) a little less bite and a little more polish, their music hasn’t really changed all that much. They put out records with Florida hardcore/punk labels Fiddler and Eulogy, but eventually made big waves with their records on MCA/Geffen. Despite having major-label ties, good distribution, and media overexposure, it seems unfair to me that any melodic and radio-friendly (or rather video-friendly) pop-punk (NFG included) is instantly discarded and cast off as an inferior form of music. Maybe I am just bitter because I used to be in a pop-punk band, or maybe I’m just a sucker for a good song that sticks in your head. It seems like just because the music is consumable by the mainstream it is automatically assumed the band’s music is somehow less honest.
Maybe the mainstream acceptance and the over-marketing of many of these bands turns people off, but the much of the music they are making is just as honest as pop music made by indie bands like Boy Least Likely To or even Page France. Believe it or not, the initial goal of every band that has a “hit” song on MTV2, Fuse, or radio is not necessarily to appeal to the masses. My former band didn’t write songs we thought would sell. We wrote what we knew and what we wanted to hear. Our affiliation with Drive-Thru Records was a chance happening that didn’t change anything we did. It simply allowed our music to be heard by more people.
A good catchy melody is just that no matter what genre of music it is. C’mon, if you speed up the music of Buddy Holly and even early Beatles stuff what do you have? Pop-punk plain and simple.
One promising new band trying to keep the genre in good health is Atlanta, GA’s Cartel. Barely out of high-school, the band released the Ransom EP in 2004 on The Militia Group. It is an explosive blast of catchy youthful pop-punk that is a whole lotta fun. Now I know what you are thinking, this is just another pop-punk band. Yes, but I’m trying to prove a point. What else does pop-punk need to be other than fun and catchy-as-hell? Ok.
They recorded their debut full-length Chroma for The Militia Group (who’s major-label ties I’m not sure of), but the record was “acquired for release” by Epic. The sounds of Chroma incorporate more than just your standard pop-punk fare and (although I prefer the speedier songs) is a step forward musically for this young band. Some might be crying sellout, but I’m just not listening to that.
MP3 | Cartel – Honestly Chroma
MP3 | Cartel – Luckie St. Chroma
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the album is pretty good but im not to fond of the EP.
I argue that punk rock ceased to be hip for hipsters once it became driven by suburban youth. They see pop-punk as something “kids” are into and they pass the genre off as kid music.