As any pop-punk fan knows, three things are certain in life: death, taxes and Bowling for Soup creating infectious as hell, up-tempo songs about girls, drinking and getting into trouble.
After bidding us farewell three years ago, and subsequently returning for another round, their 11th record, 'Drunk Dynasty', finds the Texas band happy to tread familiar ground. The follow up to 2013's 'Lunch. Drunk. Love' is more about checking all the boxes expected of them and it does so in some style.
The opening track, She Used To Be Mine, sets the scene for a record that sees the band rarely straying from the formula they are renowned for. Songs are written with the listener in mind and we can all associate with either relationships, boozing or good times, right?
Shit To Do, Hey Diane and Go To Bed Mad pair hooky riffs alongside frontman Jaret Reddick’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics, while the attitude-crushing anthem Don't Be A Dick and spiky guitars on Stop Doing That keep things bouncing.
Catalyst and the poppy As Happy As It Gets, which features Kelly Ogden of the Dollyrots on guest vocals, slow the momentum slightly but it isn’t long until the next slice of blistering power-pop rushes in with lyrics that would cause recent touring partners Steel Panther to blush.
The acoustic Drinkin' Beer on a Sunday is a pleasant change to the frenzied preceding tracks, winding down the album under the influence of one of Reddick's favourite songwriters, Frank Turner. After over 20 years, some would argue the band's knack for hooks and smart lyrics is wearing thin but, despite not pushing any boundaries with 'Drunk Dynasty', Bowling For Soup’s music is still brimming with boundless energy and immense fun.
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