Best of ’15 (#8): As It Is – Never Happy, Ever After
What happens when you combine Taking Back Sunday, All Time Low, and The Starting Line together? Why you get England’s very own As It Is of course. In a year where good pop punk is in short supply, Never Happy, Ever After brings back that spark of why we love this genre. High energy, super catchy, and relatable lyrics that will make you scream the words back at them upon seeing them live. Even better is that this is their DEBUT album. This is the Take This To Your Grave and Tell All Your Friends for a new generation and the influence shows on this album. Frontman Patty Walters delivers incredible range which is what the genre was in desperate need of. Guitarist Ben Biss also provides vocals which compliments Walters perfectly. Together, they’re unstoppable on this album. The guitars give off major early 2000s vibes while the drums are some of the best in the genre since The Wonder Years’ Mike Kennedy. Looks like the future of pop punk are in great hands.
Key tracks: Dial Tones, My Oceans Were Lakes, Concrete, Can’t Save Myself, Silence (Pretending’s So Comfortable)
