The Young And The Hopeless

You’re not going to believe it folks, but finally an excuse to have faith in the pop-punk chart explosion is here. I bet Sum 41 and Bowling For Soup are quaking in their knee highs.

Good Charlotte are a Maryland quintet whose squeaky-clean harmonies are qualified by an audible love and appreciation for punk icons The Clash, The Cure and the Beastie Boys. Their debut album, The Young And The Hopeless, was produced by Don Gilmore; the man responsible for Eve 6’s corking debut, as well as that of Lit.

Although The Young… doesn’t carry anything as fantastically addictive as ‘Open Road Song’ or even ‘My Own Worst Enemy’, there’s no shortage of well-crafted pop-punk gems and, happily, very little filler. ‘The Anthem’ is a power-punk three-minute wonder, ‘Riot Girl’ does exactly what it says on the tin and single ‘Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous’ screams with attitude.

While hardly earth-shattering, this is nonetheless an accomplished debut from a young band who can actually play – and write – decent songs. And when it comes to a genre as poisoned with shit as this one is, that’s a very welcome thing.