Album Review: Descendents - Hypercaffium Spazzinate

Rejoice! The legendary Descendents are back with their first new studio album since 2004's Cool To Be You.

It may have been 12 years since we last heard new material but when you listen to these tunes it may as well be 1985 — let alone 2004. The quartet stick with what they know best — high energy, life-affirming punk rock (they may have inadvertently invented pop-punk but these guys transcend that rather banal label) replete with humorous observations, the occasional astute social comment and large doses of juvenile hi-jinx — although the track No Fat Burger reminds us the guys are getting on a bit and have to watch their diets. The 16 tracks on offer here seamlessly meld into the band's incredible back catalogue with vocalist (and erstwhile logo) Milo Aukerman turning in his most passionate performance to date on the likes of Victim Of Me and Without Love (a title drummer Bill Stevenson may very well have nicked from Propagandhi).

There are some who may argue that Descendents just keep making the same album over and over again but, quite frankly, when the songs are this engaging who the hell cares? With Auckerman now freed from the shackles of his corporate day job I'd say we're going to be hearing a lot more from Descendents both in terms of touring and recorded material. And if the guys are this vital some 35 years into their career then Hypercaffium Spazzinate may be nothing more than the first taste of the tantalising musical triumphs that lie just around the corner.