The Wonder Years

Get Stoked on It! (2007)

Brian Shultz

Remember when I reviewed Daggermouth's debut, Stallone, and mentioned that while it was a decent effort, an abundance of totally watered down, barely hardcore-influenced pop-punk bands just had to be on the way?

Welcome to Exhibit A. Or, well, B depending on who you ask.

Look at the cover, for starters. It's a fucking bloodshot-eyed Cap'n Crunch groping and making out with a female interpretation of the Kool-Aid Man, which is, frankly, way more disturbing than it is amusing.

The Wonder Years take New Found Glory's early mastery of punchy, energetic pop-punk and completely throw it down the well. Every aspect of Get Stoked on It! sounds completely forced, from the gang vocal shouts and cheesy, brief little breakdowns / "mosh" parts to the completely unnecessary keyboards, annoying singing and totally embarrassing lyrics, like "Born to Get Fruit Punched, Homie" where the band namecheck their cover star: "I sure wish I had people I could trust / like my boy, Cap'n Crunch." Like…really? Are they even trying?

It's hard to get stoked about anything on Get Stoked on It!. The only thing I'm stoked on after listening to this album is jumping through a wood-chipper.

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Born to Get Fruit Punched, Homie
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