For the fans of fast tempos and the raw energy of groups like Blink-182 and Hot Mulligan, Al Bundy (and a Semester of Fraud) is the newest release by Connecticut-based band High Wasted Genes, a double single that feels like a burst of chaos in the best possible way. From the moment the first track kicks in, it’s all about energy, bright guitars, and melodies that stick immediately. There’s a clear love for classic pop punk here, but it never feels like a carbon copy. Instead, the band leans into the emotional honesty that made the genre matter in the first place.
Sonically, the songs are built on punchy power chords, tight, driving drums, and basslines that keep everything glued together. The guitars are loud but clean enough to let the hooks shine, and every track feels designed to hit hard and move on before it overstays its welcome. There’s a constant sense of momentum, like the band is always one step ahead of itself, and that urgency is what gives the music its energy.
Vocally, the delivery is raw and expressive, sitting somewhere between a shout and a melody. It’s not about perfect technique, it’s about feeling believable. The vocals carry a sense of frustration and longing that fits perfectly with the sound, making every chorus feel like it was written to be screamed back at a crowded room. There’s a youthful restlessness in the performance that feels genuine rather than forced.
By the time the release comes to an end, it feels like you’ve been hit with a rush of nostalgia without being stuck in the past. High Wasted Genes understand what makes pop punk so enduring: fast songs, big feelings, and the comfort of knowing someone else feels the same way. It’s energetic, heartfelt, and impossible not to sing along to, a reminder of why pop punk continues to connect, no matter how many times it’s been declared dead. You can check it out here:
Written by Joshua Cotrim
