Out NOW
Via Pure Noise Records
Words by: CeeCee
After almost a six-year gap since their last full-length release, Listen Up! marks the 11th studio album from New Found Glory — and their first with Pure Noise Records. Nearly three decades into their career, they’re not chasing trends or trying to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they lean confidently into the sound they helped define, proving that consistency isn’t complacency — it’s legacy.
Their appearance at Good Things Festival 2025 gave fans an early taste of what was to come, with 100% and Laugh It Off already showing their strength in a live setting. The energy translated effortlessly — loud, tight, and built for crowd participation — and that same momentum carries straight into the record.
From the opening track, Boom Roasted, the album throws you back to the late ’90s and early 2000s in the best way possible. Punchy guitars, driving drums, and hooks designed to be shouted back in packed rooms — it’s nostalgic without feeling dated. It’s the kind of pop-punk that makes you want to jump around your room like you’re in a 2000s teen movie, reminding you exactly why this sound never really left.
Beer and Blood Stains shifts the tone slightly, leaning into a heavier edge. The bridge drops into a weightier breakdown, with the guitars thickening up and the vocals carrying more grit, almost brushing into a growled delivery. It’s a subtle twist on their formula, but it adds bite and keeps the album from feeling one-note.
Lyrically, there’s a clear thread of resilience running throughout. You can hear the band processing the challenges of the past few years, but instead of dwelling in the struggle, there’s an uplifting sense of growth and forward momentum. It feels open and genuine — like they’re inviting fans into that journey rather than shutting the door on it.
Front to back, Listen Up! stays cohesive and energetic, rarely dipping in momentum. It doesn’t try to shock or experiment wildly — and it doesn’t need to. Nearly 30 years in, New Found Glory are still writing songs that feel made for shared spaces, loud choruses, and a community that’s grown alongside them.
Some bands fade with time. They just keep turning the volume up.
