[Review] Man Overboard-Man Overboard

Man Overboard – Man Overboard

Rise Records

Release: September 27, 2011

One of the hardest working pop punk bands in the scene, Man Overboard, is back with their first full-length release at their new home of Rise Records.  The band has been highly noted for their work ethic.  They continuously pump out pop punk anthems and leave no shortage of collectible vinyls and even cassette tapes.  The band built their buzz and fan base on their consistency and their new album certainly follows the trend.

This album is the same Man Overboard that the fans love.  The big choruses, trade off vocals, and raw punk sound are still clearly here, but just upgraded.  “Rare” is a comparable opener to “Real Talk” which opened their last album.  Both songs just blast you into the album at warp speed.  This song could be a great kick off to a set in the live setting and is sure to be a fan favorite after people start to digest the album.

“Teleport” is my choice cut off the album at this point in time.  The riffs and vocal rhythms are just too instantly catchy to deny.  Nik and Justin trade off harmonies singing, “Now I know what I’m up against. I’ll forget in the morning.”  This is a song you will find yourself humming the melody of all day long.  The beat is just infectious. “Dead End Dreams” was a great choice for a first single from the album in my opinion.  The song features a great sing along chorus, which really shines in the bridge of the track when sung with backing gang vocals and just the drum kit.  The boys ability to write a great hook is evident on this song.

As the album flows on, you notice the record is void of filler.  There aren’t any tracks that you feel the need to skip over because they aren’t enjoyable.  This is a classic pop punk album from start to finish.  Other standout tracks include “Picture Perfect” and “Atlas”.  If you wanted Real Talk part 2 with this album, then you will be very pleased.  The album is a great follow up to their last LP, without changing their sound too much and turning die-hard fans off.  Man Overboard certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel here, but who cares? They released one of the best pop punk albums of 2011.

—Chris B.