The Boys are back and I personally could not be more thrilled. Detroit’s finest, Boys of Fall, are releasing a full-length album with InVogue Records titled Better Moments. The album officially drops on October 26th and can be pre-ordered here, however, I am sitting down today to tell you guys why you should get this album.

I first came across Boys of Fall back in 2015 (oh, how I miss those days), when they were directly supporting Picturesque for a record label release show in my hometown. I had never heard of Boys of Fall, however, was impressed by their stage presence, musicality, and ability to get a room full of people moving. Alas, I drifted away from the band once they announced that they were saying goodbye to music, only to come back swinging with a record label backing them. Now to the present day, they are still bringing their A-game with Better Moments being my favorite collection of theirs to date. While there is still a special place in my heart for “First Rate Pyro” and “Pass Me By”, my taste has adapted and now makes room for “Time Bomb” and the likes.

Now while I was doing my due research on Boys of Fall, I realized many people have made assumptions from the two singles already out (“Heartbreaker” and “Bad Company”) that the band is veering away from their heavy sounds. I want to assure you guys that this is not the case, and those who are itching for vocalist Michael Martenson to belt out some of his signature screams will not be disappointed. While their sound has definitely adapted to the times, Boys of Fall is still Boys of Fall. While they are not a carbon copy of the band I first viewed in 2015, they still hold the same meaning and sound as they did, but with a mature quality to it, that appeals to me and many other pop-punk fans of today. This album may not be able to appeal to everyone, but it’s pretty damn close.

Better Moments does, in fact, have its better moments within the tracklist. Tracks like “Time Bomb” and “Arson” hit hard and feel fresh, while “Something to Say” and the title track “Better Moments” are just fine and feel a bit flat compared to the rest of their discography. It could be on account of being wowed by “Time Bomb” personally and wondering why they didn’t release this song as a single while listening to the rest of the album. Did I mention how much I love “Time Bomb”?

Altogether, Boys of Fall have never disappointed and they still have delivered with Better Moments. This album will probably not make it into my Top 10 albums of 2018, but it’s at least in my Top 15. It’s an energized album with enough power behind it to warrant seeing these guys live just to feel that energy up close and personal. The guys are currently on the road with more dates to come, so I definitely recommend picking up their album and checking them out if they come to your city. I, unfortunately, will be unable to make it out to a show, so make sure to rock out enough for the both of us.

Review by Summer Hartley