Commit This to Memory

This album is a perfect example of the power that can come from an album within the realm of pop punk. Often associated with the "scene" kids, and hard to take seriously, the genre has been beaten around like a kicked can for years and has never really caught on in the eyes of music critics and has only enjoyed some mainstream fanfare. This, however, is a smart and slick album that has a consistent flow, witty and meaningful lyrics, and wise songwriting. There are multiple albums I look back on from the mid-2000s that I can't totally put my finger on why I enjoyed them to begin with, or wonder why I considered them some of the best music at the time, almost like looking at old photos of younger you and wondering why you got that stupid haircut or why you painted your nails black. This suffers from that childhood sense of embarrassment in literally no way, standing as a testament of the genre over a decade since its release and well worth more regard than it ever really received.

Favorite track: When You're Around