With their fifth album No Closer To Heaven, The Wonder Years have made the rare pop punk album that breaks the genre’s strictly-defined boundaries without ever losing its unique thrill. This type of music is very maligned and it’s not hard to see why, but songwriting this good is rare to find in any genre so it’s a major disservice to let No Closer To Heaven go ignored.
Probably anyone reading this can relate to songs about the death of a loved one, and most of this album taps into those feelings in ways that are so relatable it’s almost painful to listen to. I’m not gonna quote any of the lyrics because you have to hear him sing it, but on “Cigarettes & Saints” when he’s talking about picturing his friend in heaven and says “I’m sure you’re still singing, but I’ll bet that you’re still just a bit out of KEY!,” it’s one of the most impassioned moments I’ve heard on record . With meticulous interplay between the band’s three guitarists, atypical song structures, and a heavier emphasis on atmosphere than ever before, The Wonder Years have managed to break ground in a genre that hasn’t changed much since blink-182 hit it big in ’99.
The Fat Angel Sings 