- Artist
- Sum 41
- Label
- Mercury
- Release date
- 23rd July 2007
- Genre
- Punk pop
Canadian pop punkers give Green Day a run for their money
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is that makes Sum 41 stand out from other North American pop-punk bands who bombard the eyeliner-wearing teenage masses with album after album. Maybe it’s the Canadian trio’s lack of pretence, their humorous side-projects, their unwillingness to turn emo and instead simply release poppier NOFX homages – or simply their undeniable songwriting chops.
Underclass Hero ticks every box that was also checked by Green Day’s Dookie more than a decade ago: namely fast riffs, great musicianship, cheeky lyrics and nothing too angsty to get depressed about. Indeed, some of the songs on here, like the absurdly catchy Walking Disaster or the quirky Ma Poubelle, match their finest past glories in terms of hummability. Occasionally drinking too deeply from the pop pool may be their only downfall; sometimes you just want to pogo. But Sum 41 prove here that they can even beat Green Day nowadays at their own game.
More to try: Green Day: Dookie Rancid: And Out Come The Wolves The Offspring: Smash
