From the second “Coming Down” kicks in, one is teleported back to a familiar time. It’s the mid early 2000’s, and pop punk is at its finest. Emotional, passionate, and raw, the drums are energetic and full. The vocals are right in front, unafraid; to call it catchy is an understatement. 

But Jail Socks do us one more with their debut. The (crazily, only 3) players in this band really take things to a next level with their technical prowess. The songs are well-crafted; predictable in the best way. Passionate verses lend themselves to explosive choruses, and right when you want to hear it, there’s a bridge that rings with emotion. Explosive guitar riffs are backed up by tight, speedy drumming and carefully imagined progressions. 

“Coming Down” might be an album you find familiar, and naysayers might call it derivative; I call it the best pop punk album I’ve heard in years. If you’re old enough, recall the early Lobster Records days when bands like Staring Back, Over It, and A Small Victory were doing their thing, but with the modern production and a more refined, polished sense of experience to back it up. There’s not a song I skip on this record, and I doubt you will either.