Washington Square Park – Self Titled

Washington Square Park is the most recent band co-headlining the now infamous New Jersey Pop Punk Revival Tour to release a new album in 2010.  While their tour mates I Call Fives and The Bright And Early can be classified quite easy thanks to their bubbly hooks and sunny demeanors, placing Washington Square Park serves a greater challenge.

Washington Square Park’s self titled full length might best be described by placing an ambiguous “post” before the “pop punk” tag.  But what does that mean exactly?  Well, think Taking Back Sunday meetsBrand New with all the bi-polar tendencies implicit in that comparison.  Washington Square Park can at times be a dark, emotionally taxing outing, while during others, serve as the soundtrack to anyone who has ever shone brightly in the wake of disheartening news.

When achieving their darkest moments, Washington Square Park builds their sound around slower tempos and near-experimental riffage.  “Centre Of My World” particularly stands out in this regard during the verse as guitars grind and halt while vocalist Max Rauch takes obsession over an unidentified woman to dehabilitating lengths; he sings “the tv’s blinking in my face/I don’t care for it much these days… but there is just one simple fact that might break me/that fact might break me in two over you.”  Other times they achieve similar sentiment through different means.  For example, “Loan Slavery” edges along, propelled by a cynical sentiment in the vein of Say Anything’s Max Bemis on one of his incessant rants.

But even dark clouds part for brighter days.  Between every few tracks the boys crack a smile and have a little fun – even if they’re still a little snarky.  “No Medication” finds the band breaking out the hooks for what ultimately becomes an admission of self-loathing.  Rauch sings “there’s no medication/to cure a crazy/and there’s nothing out there/to make me less lazy/I need a new fixation/I’ve got to make something of myself/before my time’s expired,” but maintains a laid back air, leaving room to question how genuine his resolve really is.  The rest of the album is no stranger to hooks, “Full and Through” sounds suited for summer with it’s simple acoustic backdrop, and “Believing” soars high with what appears to be bona fide optimism.

It’s good knowing that this whole pop punk revival thing isn’t just a return to shallow waters.  Washington Square Park showcases all the breadth of depth that reminds us that pop punk can be much more than a juvenile fixation.  There are a few rough patches here and there (like the grungy “Looking Grey”), but they’re easily overlooked, especially when considering that Washington Square Park stands poised to emerge a leader as this revival picks up steam.