From the crashing chords, Greg Attonito’s emphatic vocal style, and taut melodies of the title track you know exactly what The Bouncing Souls’ new record Ten Stories High (Pure Noise Records) is all about; raucous, to the point, Pop Punk. This is their twelfth album and it definitely does not outstay its welcome – these ten songs are all wrapped up in under twenty-six minutes. 

These New Jersey veterans have been plying their trade for thirty-four years and they have carved out a comfortable niche; energetic Punk full of loud guitars and hooky choruses delivered at a breakneck speed. They know the genre well and they have developed quite a knack for it, as the crunchy melody, foot-tapping beat, and brash vocals of ‘Back To Better’ demonstrates. ‘True Believer Radio’ comes hurtling out of the blocks, complete with a pleasingly chunky bass and an unmissably big chorus. Talking of bass lines, Bryan Kienlen’s thick bass sound provides a glorious earthy anchor for ‘Andy and Jackie’.

It nips along with the vim and vigor of their younger years, but the lack of variety lets things down. All ten tracks go down the same, short and snappy Punk route with nothing much to distinguish between them. The odd moment perks things up, the bristling guitars and sweet backing vocals of ‘Magnus Air Organ’ coming immediately to mind, but this consistency of approach makes Ten Stories High feel unbalanced and a bit one note. 

The filler that creeps in by the album’s end does not help matters, the Green Day-esque ‘To Be Human’ and ‘Higher Ground’ are by book pop-punk of the kind they can churn out in their sleep.

Whilst not their best album, The Bouncing Souls’ twelfth album is a blast of energetic, loud, and catchy Pop-punk that is short, sharp, and over in a flash. 

Buy the album here:

https://purenoise.merchnow.com/collections/bouncing-souls

6 / 10

THOMAS THROWER