Whilst it may not match up to the staggering heights of their best moments, 'Sister Cities' is still a catchy, enjoyable and energising track from The Wonder Years.
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Arguably the modern kings of pop-punk, The Wonder Years are a truly special band who, album upon album, continue to build their reputation and mature as artists. All this culminated with their 2015 album, No Closer to Heaven, and last year’s acoustic covers output Burst and Decay. But now, the Philly punks are back for their next album Sister Cities, out this April, and the confirmation of a new album comes with the release of a new single, the titular track itself.
Adopting the more traditional, fast-paced pop-punk style of their earlier work, ‘Sister Cities’ is a bombastic, full throttle ride, driven mostly by churning drums and bass. Singer Dan “Soupy” Campbell’s vocals as ever carry the tune brilliantly, further cementing Soupy as one of the scene’s top vocalists, his voice is as powerful and cathartic as ever, a singer truly in command of how to manipulate any song to convey any emotion. ‘Sister Cities’ perhaps most notably packs a catchy riff, making this track a much rockier entry into the band’s back catalogue, whilst it may not overall pack the knockout punch that we know the band can produce on their best days, it’s nonetheless a energising tune.
Familiar, yet new, ‘Sister Cities’ marks a great comeback track for The Wonder Years, one that should hit instantly with fans, both longterm and new. It perfectly sets us up for what should be an early contender for album of the year, because, let’s be honest: it’s The Wonder Years, what more would you expect?
‘Sister Cities’ is available now via Hopeless Records
