Over the last five years, State Champs have undeniably climbed to the top of pop punk’s ranks. Hailing from Albany, New York, the 5-piece pop punk heroes have set out to shape the scene for new fans. The band’s 2013 debut album The Finer Things saw them catapulted into the scene’s stratosphere, with 2015’s Around The World And Back elevating them to even further heights. Now, the era of Living Proof is upon us.

Album opener ‘Criminal’, is a fast-paced banger about someone you just can’t get out of your head.  Derek’s croons in lo-fi, “So what does it mean when every dream I have is about you now; I can’t believe you get to me the way you do somehow… it’s criminal,” before exploding into pop-punk glory. Exciting and upbeat, this song totally sets the tone for the album.

The album’s second track ‘Frozen’ starts with an emotional and gradual build, coming together with some clever juxtaposed wordplay. Describing a burning desire for someone, it’s a total pop punk heart-string tugger. The lead single ‘Dead and Gone’, co-written by Mark Hoppus encompasses the message of a willingness to embrace the things you can’t prepare for.

DiScanio’s voice soars on the track ‘Lightning’, before the album slows down for ‘Our Time To Go’, with the energy picking up again with ‘Something About You’, a pop-rock anthem so lively, it will surely lead its listeners to dance around their room, pretending to have a microphone in hand.

State Champs has clearly pushed themselves to create an immensely strong album. Living Proof is all about pushing through tough times and coming out ahead, growing through experience, further proving why State Champs are the new leaders of the scene.

The article was originally published on Don't Bore Us