It’s safe to say pop punk is no more than a joke nowadays. Tossing away snapbacks to show off your hardcore haircut. Cringing at the thought of a genre you used to mosh to. It seems like it’s dead when along comes youtuber Jarrod Alonge. A man who refuses to let it die. So what does he do? He makes a parody album of course. A collection of 16 songs poking fun at this 20 plus year old genre.

What’s crazy is that this album is so good at making fun of pop punk that it’s actually better than most acts in the genre today. Take Rain On My Parade for example. It’s an excellent parody of Mayday Parade’s famous ballad, Miserable At Best, while Exposure Bank is a jab and homage to bands like NOFX. Nothing Special takes pride in being the filler song while Pit Warrior takes pride in being that person in the crowd at shows. The only song that has no jokes is the first track, Garage Door, which recounts Alonge’s sudden boom in fame. It’s one hell of a first track and proves that Alonge is a musician to be taken seriously. It also features a guitar solo from August Burns Red’s JB Brubaker. Other guests include We Came As Romans’ Dave Stephens and As It Is’ Patty Walters.

For an album that doesn’t take itself seriously, it’s a ton of fun and well executed. After all, pop punk was never a genre to be taken seriously in the first place. It’s about living in the moment, singing at the top of your lungs, and most importantly, having fun. Something that most people lose in their 20s but Jarrod Alonge shows that you still have that in you. Even if you’re a first world tragedy.

Friendville gets a 4 out of 5

Stand Out Tracks: Pit Warrior, Friendville, Rylo Ken, Rain On My Parade, Nothing Special, First World Tragedy