Alternative Press, a music magazine for the alternative rock and pop punk music culture, reviewed New Found Glory’s personal choices instead of reviewing their new record early last month.
New Found Glory announced on their Facebook page in Dec. 2013 that their guitarist, Steve Klein, would no longer be a part of the band. The band no longer felt they could work with him because of “personal difference,” and that despite Klein’s absence, the band would still be making music.
On Oct. 7, 2014, New Found Glory released their eighth album, “Resurrection,” without Klein. Many of the songs included stories of their hardships with the former guitarist, including the title song “Resurrection,” but there were other moments of the band members’ lives reflected in some of the song writing as well.
In an interview with Fuse, guitarist Chad Gilbert opens up about having relationship issues with his girlfriend Hayley Williams, lead singer of Paramore, and how their hardships reflect in some of the songs on the album as well. Gilbert also reveals that bassist Ian Grushka’s relationship with his ex-wife is talked about in some of the songs, too.
A day after the album was released, Alternative Press, who has reviewed multiple New Found Glory records in the past, spent the entire first half of “Resurrection”‘s critique on Klein’s absence.
The first three paragraphs of the review, which typically sets the tone for what any album review or article in general, were all about how Klein was kicked out of New Found Glory. Alternative Press even went as far to say that the band was “kicking him while he’s down” with regards to some of the songs on the album.
For a music magazine known for praising bands in this particular music scene, they unnecessarily bashed a well-respected band. A band that has inspired others to form bands whose names are direct reflections of their appreciation for New Found Glory (i.e. All Time Low and The Story So Far). A band who received a full four-star rating on their previous album, Radiosurgery, only three years ago from Alternative Press. So why now, is this happening?
Is it perhaps that the younger, newer artists, the ones that are inspired by bands like New Found Glory are more musically relevant? Or maybe it’s because Alternative Press is simply trying to change its readership and move towards a younger audience. If that’s the case, then I fear for the music world.
I fear that veteran artists like New Found Glory are being tossed aside to make way for newer “pop punk” bands that have only released one studio album and maybe two EPs. I’m talking about bands like 5 Seconds of Summer.
But, I shall take the high road and not talk about the band’s cheesy take on pop punk and how it breaks my heart that people actually enjoy listening. Or that the band thinks they are even considering to be pop punk in the first place with a guitarist that looks like Beetlejuice and a bassist that was completely fine with his nude pictures being leaked. Nope, I will not go down that road at all. Instead I’ll just continue to talk about how wrong Alternative Press is.
Aside from suggesting that New Found Glory are jerks for letting go of Klein, who is currently facing “multiple counts of lewd conduct with a minor,” according to Alternative Press, the reviewer made it seem that losing Klein was a bigger deal than it should.
The reviewer suggests that Klein was “the primary lyricist” for the band and sneakily hints to why the album received three and a half stars instead of the four or four and half it should have received. Well, no. That is not the case at all.
If the reviewer could have just put his prejudices aside for one minute and actually listen to the music like he’s supposed to do, he would have realized that the album is actually really good.
Their title song, “Resurrection,” is one of the best on the album along with “Selfless,” which is reminiscent of one of their earlier songs “Something I Call Personality.”
The instrumentals are right where they need to be. The album is filled with sick bass lines, quality guitar riffs and, as always, superb vocals from lead singer Jordan Pundik. “Resurrection” has every element that makes a fantastic pop punk album.
On a real note, music can only truly be measured by how well it is performed live. Nothing is better than watching your favorite band put on an awesome show because ultimately that’s the whole reason why we love music in the first place. The showmanship is what makes us continue to come back for more.
Sorry, Alternative Press, but it’s the fans that move the music forward and make it count, not you.
