Release Date: June 19, 2020
Genre: Pop Punk
Label: Hopeless Records
The Florida pop-punk band New Found Glory has returned to the spotlight with their highly infectious tenth album, Forever + Ever x Infinity. After twenty-three years as an active band, now has released ten studio albums, a live album, three EPs, two splits, and their four cover albums, New Found Glory have never strayed drastically from their sound. With Forever + Ever x Infinity, the band set out to write the best album they could and achieved just that. Their tenth studio album blends every sound the band has ever incorporated in the past, resulting in an infectiously catchy piece of work front to back, with plenty of sing-along anthems that feature the band’s trademark breakdowns, and their infamous style of lyricism. The band enlisted Steve Evetts (Saves the Day, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Wonder Years) to produce the record. New Found Glory has always wanted to work with Steve Evetts, as a majority of their favourite albums, they’d listen to while on the road in their touring van, were produced by Evetts.
The band entered the studio and recorded fifteen momentous tracks, that later New Found Glory could not narrow down, as they loved every single one of these songs, so they decided to leave them be, to now give you what is Forever + Ever x Infinity. In fitting fashion, the album represents how long you want your love to last. Songs like “Greatest of All Time” and “Stay Awhile” make this quite evident, and dive beyond the surface, into the depths of love, the ups and down, and getting through the fear of failure. “We would make the best team / Better than the ’96 Bulls ever were / Jordan, Rodman, and Pippen / Wouldn’t have known what had hit them.”
“Shook By Your Shaved Head” is a track about rekindling relationships years after seeing someone again, and remembering them although their appearance may have changed. The track, “Himalaya” is the heaviest on Forever + Ever x Infinity by blending in some hardcore elements with the band’s infamous pop-punk sound. The tune, “Nothing To Say” is about that one friend every social group has that just has nothing good to say, that person who feels the only way they belong is to create a divide within their group of friends. “Trying to cut me off at the knees / But no one’s getting in my way / You’ve got nothing to say / Spreading lies like a disease / But you can’t say it to my face / You’ve got nothing to say.”
The album’s penultimate track, “Birthday Song But Not Really,” is an endearing take on being with someone you love that makes it feel like it’s your special day, every day. The last track on Forever + Ever x Infinity is the lengthy tune, “Slipping Away.” This particular track is a change in direction lyrically, and showcasing the love withering away in someone for another human being, while the love hasn’t withered for the other. “I can feel you slipping away / Slipping away from me / When you’re staring off in the space / I don’t think you see me anymore.”
After ten albums, the band has never lost their way on their remarkable journey. With their new sense of optimistic drive and passion like never before, the band delivers one of their best albums yet. New Found Glory took everything they’ve done before, tossed it into a blender, enlisted a legendary producer they’ve always wanted to work with, and served a record that’s 100% New Found Glory.