14 years of lineup changes and label shifts, the Gainesville, Florida natives return with their new record, In with the out crowd. Their brand of ska-influenced power pop punk hasn’t waned one bit, and the production is as tight as ever. There are a few singles here with catchy hooks, and snappy titles like, “Overrated (everything is)”, and “The rest of my life,” that are eagerly waiting for rock radio attention.
The band is as talented as ever but I’m unsure of how successful they can still be. Don’t get me wrong, 1996’s Losing Streak, and 1998’s Hello Rockview were great records and had no trouble finding an audience, but in the ever increasing fickle music world of today where tight jeans, throwback copies, and strict fashion guidelines rule with a cloned iron fist, I see it increasingly difficult for them to keep true fans while trying to garner new ones at the same time. The extent of the relevance of pop punk bands with horns remains to be seen in 2006.
