The year was 1999, and while I was still trying to figure out and navigate high school, the band Saves the Day put out what could be one of the more essential records in the history of emo, pop punk, or whatever you’re going to want to classify this record as. Once again, I’m going…

Christian music doesn’t always get the notice it should. Stamp the label on any record, and people automatically shun it. That’s a shame, because there are some excellent records out there that don’t get enough love, and one of them is none other than “Through Thick and Thin” by the band Dogwood. Dogwood is a…

Melody and punk sometimes get a scoff, but it’s so good when done right. Lagwagon is one of those bands that tour with many bigger acts, but it always seems to get placed in the secondary slot rather than headlining stadiums alongside its counterparts. They have released many records, and with the 1998 release of…

Album number three from the Bremerton boys would be my entrance into punk rock. It was 1996, and the band was touring with Less Than Jake, opening up for their shows with the Hippos, and I got to see them live and in person. They played the Roxy in Hollywood, and the show was sold…

Goldfinger on the internet gets confused with the movie, which is not half bad, mind you, but I always get frustrated when looking for one and end up getting the other. The two are sometimes interchangeable, and the Wikipedia article also has a link to the soundtrack! But we are not here to talk about…

It’s hard to imagine, but the band Pennywise has been around a long time, and they have been putting out quality punk records since their inception. The band would put out the melody-driven “Unknown Road” in 1993, and while I don’t always include them in the term pop punk, once again, Rolling Stone said they…

Before punk broke out into the mainstream and before many bands got airplay on the radio, a few bands were playing pop-infused punk rock, and one of them, of course, was Screeching Weasel. The boys mixed pop influences with rock and roll, giving you frenetic-paced music without losing much to vocals. With the recording of…

Returning to 1997, we find the pop punk world exploding with various bands. The era was full of musical talent, and Slick Shoes was one of the many bands to come out. I was first introduced to the band with their raw self-titled EP, which showcased an introduction to the punk rock act. It was…