Millencolin
Pennybridge Pioneers

THE REVIEW

I must admit, I've always had difficulty categorizing the Swedish combo into a well-defined subgenre within the punk & hardcore scene. When I first discovered them with "Kingwood," I thought "they play punk rock leaning towards melodic hardcore," but I was promptly proven wrong every time I listened to a new CD.

All my considerations lead to one direction: Millencolin has evolved over the years, undergoing changes that many other bands would envy, as they keep churning out the same old reheated soup, capitalizing solely on the name on the cover. Their refusal to create two identical albums in a row, instead of resting on their laurels, and trying to incorporate something new with each album is a significant point in their favor.

In fact, honestly, upon first listening to "Pennybridge Pioneers" (translation from Swedish to English of their hometown Örebro: Penny and Bro: Bridge), I was a bit taken aback, not because I didn't like the CD (after all, it was my first listen) but because I didn't recognize the band that made me mosh and jump like crazy until that moment.

Indeed, one thing is clear: the album effectively marks the start of their second career phase and abandons the powerful yet melodic hardcore sounds of the first three albums. Essentially, the sound took on more melodic shores. Initially, I made the inevitable comparison with "Kingwood" and "For Monkeys," searching for something where it wasn't. It was in subsequent listens (like a pearl at the ocean's bottom, gradually resurfacing and sparkling) that the true face of this melodic punk gem revealed itself to me.

Forget about trendy MTV bands, this is true pop punk, energetic and playful at the same time, with no annoying choruses fit for the next ad, no sugar-coated and polished vocals. This time, melody doesn't mean being banal or anything else (Buzzcocks and Descendents, after all, built a genre on this) but can be a favorable element if one manages not to be ingratiating.

14 songs or rather 14 anthems that made history: from the opener "No Cigar" (soundtrack of the legendary skate video game Tony Hawk), to the famed "Fox," continuing with the more energetic "Penguins & Polarbears" which is, in every way, the most known track by the quartet, moving through rapid fire bursts like "Material Boy" and "Right About Now" both highlighted by very beautiful guitar solos.

Continuing with the mid-tempo and bass lines of "Duckpond" which greatly resembles Alkaline Trio from "From Here To Infirmary," the playful "Hellman" and a "Devil Me" fit to even be the soundtrack of your summer. Also noteworthy are "Stop To Think" and "Highway Donkey," rhythmically very dynamic, confirming that the album doesn't lack speed. Despite Larsson's drumming now being less rough and direct than previous works.

A reflective and sweet "The Mayfly," the decent rock song "A-Ten" and a cheerful and brisk "Pepper" (a track often played in concert despite not being among the released singles) lead us into the final stages of the album.

The closure perhaps deserves a separate review: it's called "The Ballad," a simple title for a fantastic song, two-thirds performed with an acoustic guitar and perfectly interpreted by Nikola Sarkevic's splendid voice, exploding in a heart-pounding finale. It's noteworthy as this is the first song where the group experiments with acoustic guitar and also their very first ballad in their extensive repertoire. It would be the perfect soundtrack for a sentimental film given its commendable romanticism.

The songs are marvelously enriched with great choirs and fearsome solos, all very California-style. The production is excellent, placed in the hands of Mr. Bad Religion. This was also their first album recorded in the States. 

Finally, note a point of no return: starting from this album onward, the ska sounds that dotted previous records will be completely abandoned.

Summing up, "Pennybridge Pioneers" is, in my opinion, perhaps the peak expression of the genre in the last ten years.  An album that shouldn't be overly labeled but relished gradually, making it your own, and that's exactly how this masterpiece should be viewed, signed and delivered by Millencolin.