15 Greatest Pop Punk Albums Of The 2000s
2. Motion City Soundtrack - Commit This To Memory
Never has the Moog synthesizer been used to such great effect in pop punk. In a genre boiling over with whiny, over-dramatic artists who seem destined to either make you feel bad for them or simply make you feel bad in general, Motion City Soundtrack has never been particularly interested in wading around the deep end of the malaise pool.
Elevated by Mark Hoppus' keen production, Commit This To Memory nails down the peppy, loud-quiet-loud dynamic of 80's power pop that bands like Superchunk made their own. The verses shimmer with an entrancing glow before completely exploding into a full-on fireworks display during the choruses.
Justin Pierre is at the forefront of the album, more so than on any other MCS offering, and it's his bewitching vocalizations that give Commit This To Memory the layers required for repeat listens. Not only do his vocal melodies instantly upgrade the mid-tempo tracks that try to sink the album around the midway point, but his equally earnest and clever lyrical turns keep things from getting too weighty.
Fans of MCS' aggressively quirky debut, I Am the Movie, will be pleased with the offbeat hooks on "Better Open the Door" and "Make Out Kids" while those seeking more straightforward pop-rock can jam to the equally infectious "When You're Around" and "Attractive Today."