On My Playlist: Top 5 New Found Glory songs

New Found Glory is the epitome of pop-punk with their heartfelt lyrics, catchy rhythms and singalong melodies.
The nature of their songs is mostly filled with songs about relationships and personal self-growth. The year 2017 also marks the band’s 20th anniversary as a group, having started their dreams in 1997. Since then, they have evolved their image but have always stayed true to pop-punk. One of the true pioneers of the genre that does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon, with a new album scheduled this year. The band consists of Jordan Pundik (vocals), Chad Gilbert (guitar), Cyrus Bolooki (drums) and Ian Grushka (bass).
Honourable mentions: ‘Right Where We Left Off’, ‘Radiosurgery’, ‘One More Round’, ‘Something I Call Personality’, ‘Listen to Your Friends’ and ‘Oxygen’.
5. All Downhill From Here
We start the countdown with a classic New Found Glory song, ‘All Downhill From Here’ that focuses on relationships and the trouble the wrong person can cause in your life. The song structure is built around a catchy guitar intro before the verse kicks in, where Pundik’s vocals take the spotlight: ‘You’re hiding something, cause it’s burning through your eyes. I try to get it out but all I hear from you are lies,’ pretty much sums up the nature of the song. This is pop-punk at its core with a singalong bridge where the pace changes to complement the song.

4. Hit or Miss (Waited Too Long)
This was one of New Found Glory’s earliest hits from their self-titled 2000 album and, after hearing the first few notes, it is easy to understand why. Chad Gilbert’s guitar riff is simple but effective and builds up into the verse, where Grushka’s bass line keeps a steady rhythm. Pundik’s voice also really shines on this track as he delivers the chorus with passion: ‘Have I waited too long, have I found that someone? Have I waited too long to see you?’ A good dose of nostalgia and missed opportunities permeate this song as the lyrics emphasise the need to make a move when your heart says you should.

3. Selfless
Selfless is one of New Found Glory’s newer tracks found on their 2014 album, Resurrection. This is a great song with a superb pace and rhythm that show the band’s maturity and their ability to constantly write good musical hooks and lyrics. Gibert’s guitar riff opens up the song before the entire band fills in to create a really loaded sound. One of my favourite parts of the song is the change of pace in the bridge where the song gets super-fast, thanks to great drumming from Bolooki. The lyrics are also fantastic and focus on living selflessly – something we can all aspire to. ‘I want to live selfless. Instead of just floating by. Living every day like it’s my last. I’ll catch up on my sleep when I die.’

2. Understatement
‘I’m sick of smiling and so is my jaw. I’m sick of someone I’m not, get me out of this slump. I’m sick of clapping when I know I can do it better for myself.’ This is how this excellent song that focuses on failed relationships and being fake to please someone else starts off. Even though someone is putting in all the effort, intentions are really important and, in this song, this principle is put to the test. Once again, the drum and guitar intro really gets the song off to a bang as it explodes with utter ferocity. Bolooki’s snare-based beats are also perfect for this genre as they drive the song like an unstoppable steam train. The pacing of this song is also fantastic as Pundik sings, ‘I can’t help how I feel’ in the bridge that slows the song down a bit before the final chorus kicks in. A real fan favourite.

1. My Friends Over You
This is the quintessential New Found Glory song that any casual listener should listen to first to get the best idea of what makes the band great. The lyrics, the catchy lead guitar riff, distorted rhythms, solid bass lines and complex drumming make this a song of the highest quality. The lyrics focus on relationships and love and the vocalist’s inability to make up his mind about the girl of ‘his dreams’. So, rather than being uncertain and making a mistake, he would rather first pick his friends who have always been there for him. The quality of friendship is a theme that is used heavily in New Found Glory’s songs and this song is probably the best example of this: ‘Though you swear that you are true, I’d still pick my friends over you’