WHO: The Bombpops
WHAT: Death in Venice Beach
WHY: There probably hasn’t been a band more ready to be the new NOFX. They’re on FAT, their albums sound like they should, and they’ve even stood in for NOFX in their videos. But while it’s easy to write off such a band as being a derivative of a derivative, they quickly showed that they’ve got the genre figured out well enough to make a great record in their debut Fear of Missing Out. Now, 3 years later they’re back with Death in Venice Beach, and sure enough, it’s everything its predecessor was but better. The songs are catchier, the hooks are juicier, it’s more focused and mature. Death in Venice Beach is a pop punk masterpiece and, dare I say it, a contender for album of the year.
