The Daily Gamecock

Recently released album a poppy turn for New Politics

Formed in 2009 in Copenhagen, New Politics is a rock band that has managed to fly just below the radar for some time now.

They’ve opened for bands like Paramore and Fall Out Boy, and their sound appeals to both rock and pop fans. 

Though singles like “Yeah Yeah Yeah” and “Harlem” reached top charts internationally in years past, the band never topped U.S. stations in quite the same way.

Now with their new album “Vikings,” maybe they have a chance.

Their tunes have become noticeably more poppy, which could make them prime candidates for American radio. It’s obvious that their mood has shifted, and almost every song on their album — released August 14 — has a lighthearted and upbeat attitude. 

You could even say they’ve abandoned the true rock genre for a lighter, boy band feel.

The album includes two of their popular singles, “Everywhere I Go (Kings and Queens)” and “West End Kids,” two of the best songs on the album. “

West End Kids” is the story of the New Politics band members growing up and becoming a sensation; though the content is a melancholy tribute to their past, it has a simple upbeat tune that rocks you to your core.

If you’ve been known to like Neon Trees or Boys Like Girls, New Politics may be for you. The pop punk songs are hard to get out of your head, but most of the substance is definitely more noteworthy than the average dance tune on the top charts. 

There are even a couple of slower jams on the album like “Lovers in a Songs” and “Stardust,” a bittersweet piano ballad, that give the album just enough twist.

There is really something for everybody in “Vikings”; there are mix-it-up songs like “Girl Crush” and “50 Feet Tall,” and there are songs that really tell a story, like “Loyalties Among Thieves.” Some songs remind you of Grouplove; think “Tongue Tied.” You’d even believe it if I said “Pretend We’re in a Movie” was sung by One Direction.

All in all, New Politics was surprisingly fun to listen to, and you can probably look for some of these songs on the radio in the coming months. 

Their sound can sometimes be more pop than rock, but sometimes it’s the opposite; the musicians are all talented, and it’s all easy to listen to.

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