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After much anticipation Albany originated Pop Punk band State Champs knock it out of the park with their second full length album, Around the World and Back. Maturing into their own style and breaking out of their comfort zone, the band has managed to put together an album suitable for any Pop Punk fan.
Starting off with a Four Year Strong influenced intro with Eyes Closed, the album takes an influential turn, using bands such as A Day to Remember, New Found Glory, All Time Low and The Wonder Years as potential role models.
Using a sandwiched structure for the album listing, they have successfully managed to sandwich as many as three upbeat original style tracks in between songs of a heavier nature than the fans are used to, causing an immediate shock for a large majority of the fan base.
With Secrets and All You Are Is History being the most like original State Champs style, fans have taken to comparing these two tracks to their first studio album The Finer Things which debuted at number 2 on the Heatseekers Albums Chart back in 2013.
Showing a softer side to his persona, Derek Discanio, State Champs front man teams up with Alabama band, Jule Vera’s singer Ansley Newman for acoustic track Around the World and Back.
With the overall message of the album being how State Champs have set light to the torch marking their success and how they have finally found their footing in the music industry.
Even though it is a very strong album and definitely one to be listened to, it would be great to hear the band take more of an original approach next time by trying to avoid so much guidance from other bands.
State Champs have proved that they have an eye for originality and hopefully they can have more confidence in themselves as song writers with their next album.
Album Rating:
3/5