My Ten Favorite Punk Rock Albums of the 21st Century

So once I published my list of my ten favorite power pop albums of the 21st century, the wheels in my head started turning. I knew I'd be compelled to also list my ten favorite punk rock albums of the 21st century. Now keep in mind we all have our own definitions of "punk rock." I have no interest in defending my definition or criticizing someone else's. And of course I'm not trying to identify the "greatest" or most influential punk rock albums of this century. These are just the ones I love the most personally. And many of these albums would rank amongst my all-time favorite punk LPs, period. So while I'm notoriously geeky about first generation punk and the 1990s revival, I've always made an effort to keep up with the newer bands and never allow myself to get jaded about this genre of music. Hats off to Mick Fletcher, who has been posting new punk rock music almost daily for over a decade and was ultimately responsible for introducing me to the band that holds the top spot on this list! 

It blows me away when I realize that the 21st century already covers a period of nearly 25 years. Picking just ten favorite punk rock albums from that time period was a difficult task. That's why I included a bunch of honorable mentions. But I feel good about these choices. I hope you all discover something new from this list — or at the very least reconnect with a record you haven't heard in a while. On to it! 

10. The Gaggers - Rip You Apart (2011)

Snotty '70s-style razorblade punk rock hadn't sounded this good in decades!

9. The Dimestore Haloes - The Ghosts of Saturday Night (2004) 
My favorite '90s punk rock band actually released one of its best albums in the 2000s.

8. Midnite Snaxxx - Chew on This (2017) 
Dulcinea Gonzalez just might be the most underrated punk vocalist/songwriter ever.

7. The Kidnappers - Neon Signs (2006) 
One of the least "Rip Off–ish" albums ever released by Rip Off Records, and also one of the best albums ever released by Rip Off Records.

6. Night Birds - Mutiny at Muscle Beach  (2015) 
100%, this record can stand toe-to-toe with all the classic beach/surf–punk albums that inspired it. How prophetic was "Left in the Middle"?! 

5. Something Fierce - Don't Be So Cruel (2011) 
Basically I liked this album so much that it made me want to write about music again!

4. Hayley and the Crushers - Modern Adult Kicks (2022) 
Over the course of three albums from 2018 through 2022, Hayley and the Crushers progressed from good to very good to truly great right before our eyes and ears. This was no accident: this was a band working on its craft, honing its musical vision, and maturing into something extraordinary. Modern Adult Kicks is the definitive post-pandemic record and proof that punk rock for grown-ups can still kick ass. I actually feel a little guilty about leaving it off the podium!

3. The Bobbyteens - Not So Sweet (2000) 
The '60s girl group–inspired wing of garage punk rock 'n' roll has been a major force in the 21st century, and this is the album that started the party.

2. Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic (2002)
This is the only album to appear on both this list and my corresponding power pop list. Of course the Hearts were a huge part of the modern power pop revival, but to me, Guitar Romantic sounded just as much like '77 punk as it did vintage power pop. The influence of the likes of The Jam ("I'm A Pretender"), The Clash ("Rumors In Town"), and The Boys ("Boulevard Trash") on this record is palpable, and no modern band has been more important in reminding us that so much of the best first wave punk holds up because it was also great pop music. I've lost track of how many times I've listened to Guitar Romantic over the past 20+ years, and I never tire of it.

1. Pale Lips - After Dark (2019) 
I would not fight you if you told me that you prefer Wanna Be Bad. But for me, After Dark has been my ultimate Pale Lips go-to, and it's hard to name many records that are more emblematic of what rock 'n' roll music is all about. This, my friends, is 12 tracks of sheer unbridled joy which prove you can have smarts and substance in your songs and still be all about fun. This was a true group in the best sense of the term. You had the total rock star guitarist, a vocalist who exuded the true spirit of punk rock, and two powerhouse rhythm players who held it all together. In my book, After Dark is worthy of classic status. If you have young people in your life and want them to understand why punk rock is the best music ever and why they should immediately start their own bands, After Dark ought to be part of your gift package. 

Honorable Mentions 

The Prostitutes - Kill Them Before They Eat (2009) 
Stiletto Boys - A Company of Wolves (2000) 
Phone Jerks - self-titled (2018) 
Girl Drink Drunks - self titled (2017) 
The Melmacs - Good Advice (2022) 
The Control Freaks - Get Some Help (2021) 
The Busy Signals - self titled (2007) 
Los Pepes - For Everyone (2014) 

-L.R.

My Ten Favorite Pop-Punk Albums of the 21st Century

I'd like to thank Mark for requesting/suggesting/proposing that I follow up my list of my favorite power pop albums of the 21st century with lists of my favorite pop-punk albums from each century. Today we'll tackle this century. It has been great fun to dig back into the pop-punk albums I've liked the best over the past two-and-a-half decades. I don't write the quantity of pop-punk reviews that I used to, but there are still a lot of bands in this genre that I really love. It's hard to define when exactly pop-punk became a genre onto itself. I'd probably say mid-'80s, which puts us around four decades into it. And that puts the majority of pop-punk's history in this century. I could easily have gone twenty or thirty deep on this list. But for the sake of consistency, I'm keeping it to just ten with a few honorable mentions. My challenge is that I'm going from memory since I no longer have a physical music collection (Yeah, I'm one of those people!). So I apologize in advance for anything that I've overlooked or forgotten. Let's get to it! 

10. Parasites - Solitary (2008)
The greatness of Dave's '90s output often overshadows his more recent work. Solitary is a vintage effort from what is probably my favorite pop-punk band of all-time.

9. The Putz - Clinically Inane (2017) 
I could have picked any Putz album for this spot, but Clinically Inane has the slight edge over the others. When it comes to modern bands that have taken that classic Lookout! Records sound and kept it going strong into this century, The Putz is hard to beat.

8. Jagger Holly - The Last of the International Playboys (2018) 
I would argue that while the '90s was the heyday for pop-punk, there have been numerous '90s-inspired pop-punk records in recent years that can stand toe-to-toe with the best of the albums they emulated. This is one of them.

7. The Bat Bites - self titled (2014) 
Duuuuude! How underrated is this album?! This was the first and only long player from Rotterdam's The Bat Bites, who featured several star players from the modern-day Euro pop-punk scene. If you don't own this album, you need to buy it ASAP! 

6. The Tattle Tales - Hearts in Tune (2006)
It can be weird with albums that helped get you through awful times in your life. The autobiographical significance is undeniable. But does the music still hold up when you listen to the album years later? In the case of Hearts in Tune, the answer is an unequivocal yes! What I loved about The Tattle Tales is that they were a pop-punk band that was first and foremost a great pop band. Christian is still making extraordinary music with The Feels.

5. The Sensibles - A Bunch of Animals  (2013) 
From Milano, Italy, The Sensibles were a super-underrated 2010s band that released some of the decade's finest pop-punk singles (which were compiled into last year's wonderful retrospective Dino Nuggets). They also released a fantastic album called A Bunch of Animals on Rijapov Records. I originally likened this album to a "giant, one-ounce straw of Pixy Stix chased with a double shot of Espresso," and I would still order that concoction today. This record is everything pop-punk ought to be: joyful and ultra-energetic, with songs that blend child-like innocence and full-grown tenderness. It remains a ten out of ten release in my book. 

4. The Unlovables - Crush*Boyfriend*Heartbreak (2005) 
While I've done my best to reign in my propensity for hyperbole in recent years, I cannot in good conscience call this album anything less than a classic. I will gladly die on that hill, and I bet King Ralph would too!

3. Spazzys - Aloha! Go Bananas (2004)

It is an established truth that "Paco Doesn't Love Me" is the greatest Ramones rip-off ever recorded. But seriously, this whole album is gold.

2. The Ergs! – dorkrockcorkrod (2004) 
When you say "2000s pop-punk," there's only one band whose name is coming up first in my mind.

1. The Kung Fu Monkeys - School's Out, Surf's Up, Let's Fall in Love (2000) 
One of the greatest musical albums ever made by humans.

Honorable Mentions 

The Steinways - Missed the Boat (2006) 
Geoff Palmer - Pulling Out All the Stops (2019) 
Neon Bone - That Dog Won't Hunt (2018) 
Spastic Hearts - No Girls No Fun (2014) 
Ruth's Hat - Bye Bye Love (2000) 

Now comes the difficult part: putting together my 20 century list! Stay tuned! 

-L.R.

My Ten Favorite Power Pop Albums of the 21st Century

It's no secret that I really love power pop. Now "power pop" is a term that is open to considerable interpretation and sometimes fierce debate. I generally subscribe to a broad definition of power pop. If it's powerful, and it's pop, then it can be power pop in my book. I've left every single power pop group I've ever joined on Facebook due to my discontent with the overzealous gatekeepers and pontificating purists who suck all the fun out of celebrating this music so many of us love. I will never tell a self-described power pop band that they're not really power pop. Nor will I ever split hairs between power pop and pop-punk when sometimes the only difference is a band's choice of footwear. Because the way we all view music is so deeply personal, no two people will ever agree 100% on what power pop is and which bands best exemplify it. But I can write about bands that represent what power pop means to me. On that note, I thought it would be fun to feature my favorite ten power pop albums from this century — not the ten "greatest" or ten "most influential" but simply the ten I like the best. Just in case you've missed some of these titles, I've provided streaming links so you can hear for yourself! 

10. honeychain - CRUSHED (2017) 

This one remains an overlooked gem. Honeychain is a band fronted by Hillary Burton (The Pandoras), and Crushed was its full-length debut. I've had this CD in my car for years, and every so often I'll pop it into my car player and marvel at how great it is from start to finish. Burton's dear friend Kim Shattuck produced this album, and you can absolutely hear her influence. You can also hear Burton's extraordinary talent as a songwriter and singer. If classic power pop with a punk attitude and a '90s alternative rock feel sounds like your thing, you need to be on Bandcamp now purchasing a download of Crushed!

9. Natalie Sweet - Oh, By the Way... (2019) 
I remember hearing an advance of this album and absolutely losing my shit. I was a huge fan of Natalie Sweet from her band The Shanghais, and I consider Travis Ramin perhaps the single most important player in the modern power pop revival. The idea of these two collaborating on a record with Morten freaking Henriksen on lead guitar was a dream-come-true for power pop fans. The world never got a Shanghais full-length or a second Tina and the Total Babes album, but Oh, By the Way... was the next best thing.

8. The Yum Yums - For Those About To Pop! (2020)

The Yum Yums are one of those bands that are hard to pigeonhole. Some might put them more in the pop-punk category, but I've always thought of them as power pop with punk influences. The band's debut album Sweet As Candy was very influential on me as a young punk rocker discovering power pop. There is no such thing as a not-great Yum Yums album, but I think Morten really peaked with his most recent release, For Those About To Pop! That's not just a great album title — it's a mission statement!

7. The Dahlmanns-  All Dahled Up (2012) 
When it came to power pop in the 2010s, The Dahlmanns were the gold standard. Beluga Records has just released a super-sized re-issue of All Dahled Up with 13 extra tracks!
 

6. Kurt Baker - Brand New Beat (2012) 
Kurt Baker has always been a favorite of this blog. His albums have only gotten better over the years, but there's still something special about Brand New Beat for me. It defined a new era of power pop  — one that acknowledged the influence of pop-punk but was also heavily inspired by The Beatles and '60s pop in general. It influenced a lot of bands that have formed over the past decade, and it influenced the evolution of my own musical tastes.

5. Exploding Hearts - Guitar Romantic (2002)
There's just no denying how influential this record was. Prior to the release of Guitar Romantic, there was power pop, and there was punk rock. Then this album came out, and there were songs that sounded like first wave punk mixed in seamlessly with songs that sounded like 1979 power pop. And there were songs that were a little bit of both. And just like that, "powerpop/punk" was a real genre. But even if we remove the importance and impact of Guitar Romantic from the conversation, it's still an incredible record that stands the test of time. One can only imagine what this band could have become.

4. Mother's Children - That's Who! (2010)
This is the ultimate power pop "party album." It rocks your face off and begs to be played loud, yet it's still the epitome of melody-driven, super-catchy pop. If you like your power pop leaning towards the "power" side of the equation, you should immediately familiarize yourself with Mother's Children's full catalog.

 

3. The Speedways - Radio Sounds (2020) 
In my book, this is one of the greatest power pop albums of any era.

2. Tsar - self-titled (2000)
Tsar is still one of the most unlikely albums ever released on a major label. It was the turn of the century, and mainstream rock radio was the most unlistenable it has ever been in history. Almost anything that got airplay circa Y2K was dark and angst-ridden and utterly devoid of melody. All of the sudden, this debut album from Tsar was like an answered prayer for all those of who longed to make rock great again. Laden with massive, soaring hooks, it sounded like a greatest hits collection from some parallel universe where they still played radio hits on the radio. Of course the album flopped, but in my daydreams, "Calling All Destroyers" was a #1 smash on seven continents, and all these guys got to live in mansions.

1. Tina and the Total Babes - She's So Tuff (2001) 
She's So Tuff, the one and only release from turn of the century super group Tina and the Total Babes, remains my favorite album of the 21st century and one of my favorite power pop albums of all-time. Tina Lucchesi (The Bobbyteens, The Trashwomen) joined forces with Travis Ramin, producer to the stars, to create the greatest punk-influenced girl group power pop album of 1979 — in 2001! Of course the covers (such as the title track originally by The Demons and Holly & The Italians' "Tell That Girl To Shut Up") are great, but originals like "Christy" and "Tongue Tied" are classics in their own right. It's wild to consider that this album is now older than the records it emulated where when it was first released. The 2022 vinyl reissue is still available from the illustrious Surfin' Ki Records!

Honorable Mentions:

The Reflectors - First Impression (2020) 

The Whiffs - Another Whiff (2019)

Cheap Cassettes - Ever Since Ever Since (2022) 

The Cry! - self-titled (2011) 

Damone - From the Attic (2003) 

The Figgs - Sucking In Stereo (2000) 

First Base - Not That Bad (2017) 

Beach Patrol - It's Only Greener Til You Get There (2006)

-L.R.

My Ten Favorite Albums of the 2010s

This is the time of the year when I'm always busy finalizing my year-end top tens. But before I unveil my selections for 2019, I thought it would be fun to reflect back upon this entire decade. I'm not saying these are the "greatest" or "best" albums of the 2010s. They're just my personal favorites. These are the albums I keep going back to again and again - the ones I'll probably still be listening to in another ten years. Many of these were albums I highly acclaimed as soon as they came out. Others have grown on me. Let's get to it!

10. Sugar Stems - Can't Wait (2012)
Wisconsin's Sugar Stems were one of the top American power pop bands of the early 2010s. This, their second album, was originally released on Screaming Apple Records before getting an American release on Dirtnap Records. I enjoy all of this band's albums, but Can't Wait is where Betsy captured her greatest magic as a songwriter.


9. Pale Lips - After Dark (2019)
If I measured these releases purely based on how many times I've played them, this one would be at a disadvantage since it just came out this year. But I've got a feeling it will rise up these charts over the years. If After Dark is one of my top ten favorite albums of the decade, it has to be my #1 album of 2019, right? I would never reveal such things before New Year's Eve!


8. Something Fierce - Don't Be So Cruel (2011)
This was my first-ever album of the year for this blog. It still holds up. Kind of like what later Clash could have been.


7. Kurt Baker - Brand New Beat (2012)
I love all of Kurt's stuff. But something special happens when he and Wyatt Funderburk get together and write pop songs.


6. Midnite Snaxxx - Chew On This (2017)
Perhaps the finest modern-day example of how to do '77-inspired garage punk with power pop hooks. 
 

5. The Cheap Cassettes - All Anxious, All The Time (2014)
Chaz and Kevin originally released the bulk of these songs one at a time on their Bandcamp, so it was like we all got to experience the making of an album together. Great rootsy, punky power pop from these ex Dimestore Haloes.



4. The Dahlmanns - All Dahled Up (2011)
Ramones-inspired punk meets power pop carried off to perfection. To this day, this remains the only Dahlmanns full-length album. True story: I was listening to a Dahlmanns song on Little Steven's Underground Garage one day in 2011 and it dawned on me that I needed to start writing about music again. The rest is history.


3. Night Birds - Born To Die In Suburbia (2013)
THE punk rock band of the decade. All of their albums are great, but this is the one I'm most likely to put on when I'm in a Night Birds state of mind.


2. The Cry! - self titled (2011)
A classic power pop album by way of '50s/'60s pop and rock and roll. Hard to believe all of these guys were under 21 when this record was made. A huge influence on the subsequent powerpop/punk of this decade.


1. Nato Coles- Promises To Deliver (2013)
I've been a longtime Nato fan, but I think it was the Rum Bar Records reissue of Promises To Deliver that caused me to realize I loved this album even more than I realized. I first popped the CD into my car player four years ago, and I've never really stopped playing it. The best of Midwestern punk and heartland rock combined into one band. If I were a ball player, the title track would be my walk-up music.

Honorable Mentions:
Stiletto Boys - Liberator (2013)
First Base- Not That Bad (2017)
The Number Ones- self titled (2014)
Shanda and the Howlers - Trouble (2017)
Missing Monuments - Painted White (2011)

Bonus: Favorite Song of the 2010s


Doing a list like this, I can really see my true power pop colors coming out. But the above is definitely a nice overview of the sort of stuff I've enjoyed over the past decade. Man, there sure were some amazing albums that came out in the past ten years! If we bring singles collections into the conversation, I'd say it would be a fierce battle between Sheer Mag self-titled and Fashionism's Smash Singles for the top of that category. I think what I've loved best about this decade of music is the same thing I've loved the least: there's so much good stuff out there that it's literally impossible to hear all of it. To sum up the 2010s, I'd say this was the decade where I stopped complaining about mainstream music being such crap. I mean, come on. It's almost 2020. Who cares what they're playing on the radio?! If you like good music, this is a damn fine time to be alive.

-L.R.

My Top 20 Favorite Bands: 2000 to Present

I fully acknowledge it's weird that after spending so many years touting new music, my list of all-time favorite bands is still comprised almost entirely of artists from the '70s. So I got an idea: what if I wrote a massive list of my all-time favorite bands and then deleted everything that was pre year 2000? What would that look like? It was an easier exercise than I expected. I had no trouble coming up with a long list of bands from the present century that I totally love and still listen to on a regular basis. For bands that were active prior to 2000, I only considered their post-2000 output. For more recent bands, I had to factor in that their recordings may have not yet been subjected to the "test of time". With all of that in mind, here we go! 

20. Phone Jerks
I know what you're thinking. "Didn't their first album just come out?!" Fair enough. But in a world without Teengenerate and Loli and the Chones, Phone Jerks are the next best thing. Plus there was no way I could write a list like this and not represent multiple bands from Canada.


19. The Cry!
First album is a bona fide power pop classic. Second one isn't bad either! I anticipate we will finally get a new album from this band in 2019.

 
18. Something Fierce 
Don't Be So Cruel still sounds like the best album that the 1980s Clash never made. Rumor has it that Something Fierce is now on the verge of releasing new music for the first time in eight years. 

 
17. The Dahlmanns 
I've reviewed this band on seven occasions. It actually seems like more than that! The gold standard for the marriage of pop and punk. 

  
16. Sugar Stems
Super underrated extra awesome power pop group. I highly recommend all three of their albums. Does pop music get any better than "Love You To Pieces"? 


15. The Figgs - As the '90s turned over into the 2000s, The Figgs were at the top of their game. I probably listen to Sucking In Stereo as much as I listen to any Figgs album. Badger is my favorite Figgs EP by far. The early stuff gets all the love, but this band's post 2000 output is no less impressive.


14. The Unlovables
Crush * Boyfriend * Heartbreak is one of the greatest pop-punk albums ever made.


13. Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band
Promises To Deliver is my most most listened-to album of this current decade. 


12. The Kidnappers 
A decade before it was fashionable, The Kidnappers concocted a peanut butter cup mashup of garage punk and power pop, peaking with the "Spanish Girls" single and Neon Signs LP. I have enjoyed the twins' more recent outfit Küken, but I must admit I still miss The Kidnappers!  


11. Night Birds 
For my money, this is the best punk group of the last ten years. Favorite album: Born To Die In Suburbia. Second favorite: Mutiny at Muscle Beach. If you like old school hardcore punk with brilliant lyrics and a ton of melody, you need to own this band's entire discography. Little-known fact: I have consciously inserted a Seinfeld or Larry David reference into four different Night Birds reviews. I'm saving "These pretzels are making me thirsty" for the next full-length.


10. Bobbyteens
This band would have ranked higher if I'd allowed myself to consider its early singles and debut album from the late '90s. Still, top ten ain't too shabby! 2000's Not So Sweet is my favorite of the band's albums - a definitive mixture of the Ramones, girl groups, and power pop.


9. Midnite Snaxxx 
Is there any punk musician of the last 25 years more under-appreciated than Dulcinea Gonzalez?


8. The Connection
I've referred to The Connection as "America's best rock n' roll band", and I think that sums it up pretty well. 


 7. Beach Patrol
 I've been a huge fan of this Green Bay outfit since 2006, when I named its full-length debut my album of the year. Over time, the band has only gotten better. Domenic has become one of our finest songwriters. The recent Levity is, in my opinion, the best album he's ever written.


6. Pale Lips
It seems like only yesterday that I was hearing this band for the very first time. It was actually four years ago! Pale Lips' debut LP was officially listed as my #2 album of 2016, and the band's latest is almost certain to be my #1 for 2019. Definitely my favorite active band.


5. Exploding Hearts 
I don't think much explanation is required here.


4. Kung Fu Monkeys
The creation of a Kung Fu Monkeys Bandcamp page officially remains the best thing to ever happen to The Internet. I recently decided to put on School's Out, Surf's Up, Let's Fall in Love to see if it still holds up after 18 years plus. Boy, does it ever! There's never been another album quite like this. It's like pop-punk meets twee meets meets surf meets kiddie pop meets bubblegum meets '60s teenage dance party, propelled by James Cahill's seemingly impossible vocal range and a rhythm section that plays as if it's hopped up on Pixy Stix. Music more joyful than this has never been produced by humans. The early 2000s saw the band moving into its "mature" phase, which produced several less punky yet still totally delightful 7" releases. More recently, 2012's Son Of... The Incredibly Strange Case Of The Mysterious Mystery 7" arrived seemingly out of nowhere and delighted longtime fans with some gorgeous and masterful baroque pop. 

  
3. Stiletto Boys
Yeah, I know this band had a home field advantage. But I would have been a fan even if they'd been from thousands of miles away. It's funny how time changes your impressions of things. When the Stiletto Boys made their first album, I was like, "I love it, but I kind of miss the rawness of the singles". When their second album came out, I was like, "I love it, but I kind of miss the rawness of the last album". Looking back all of these years later, I am awed by the way the Stiletto Boys pushed themselves to get better and better with each new release. I can still put on A Company of Wolves and find myself stunned by its greatness. Sean Wolfe was so driven to make Liberator perfect that he was willing to scrap a completed album and start over. It ended up being 13 years between albums. And it was worth it. Liberator (2013) proved to be the band's masterpiece - a must-own for fans of power pop influenced punk rock with insightful and intensely personal lyrics. If you lost track of the Stiletto Boys after the year 2000, you've got some serious catching up to do. R.I.P. Sean.


2. The Ergs 
If you want to see me when I'm angry, call the Ergs a generic pop-punk band. Sure, they were Descendents fans. They were also into hardcore, jazz, and obscure indie rock. They were unabashed music and book geeks, which I related to on a personal level. They fully understood that Dirty Work is one of the true cinematic masterpieces of our time. How can you not appreciate a band that releases a single called "Blue" and backs it with a cover of "Blew" by Nirvana? Only a person well-versed in the road signage of northeastern Pennsylvania interstates can appreciate the humor in writing a song called "Ashley Sugarnotch". Most importantly, the music still holds up. Dorkrockcorkrod is an all-time top five pop-punk album in my book. f'n remains one of the most impressive demo tapes I've ever heard. And don't even get me started on the singles. On my Mt Rushmore of New Jersey rock, I have The Boss, The Shirelles, Dramarama, and The Ergs!


1. Dimestore Haloes
The Haloes coming in at #1 will surprise no one. Granted, I had to remove their first two albums from consideration. But their last two albums are actually their best, in my humble opinion. The Ghosts of Saturday Night was the perfect transition between what the Haloes had been and what The Cheap Cassettes would later become. Wait, you don't own it yet?! Get on over to Bandcamp and rectify that immediately!


So there you have it. There were quite a few other bands that just missed the cut (too many to mention, in fact). But I'm pretty satisfied with this list, and I plan on updating every year!

-L.R.