Bracket: Novelty Forever

Pop-punk's sound-of-the-moment status passed quite some time ago, as evidenced by sagging interest in bands like Green Day and its many imitators. But when done right, pop-punk records can still be great fun, as Forestville, California's Bracket has proven several times in the past few years. Last year's E Is For Everything On Fat Wreck Chords should be considered a minor classic in a minor genre, and Bracket's new Novelty Forever delivers another 32 minutes of safe, solid, fun-loving rock that's bound to get your feet tapping and your spirit rising. Bracket doesn't reinvent the wheel here—you've heard these power chords and vocal harmonies before—but Novelty Forever works from start to finish. Why It's hard to tell: Maybe it's because the album doesn't ooze calculated self-loathing; maybe it's because it never tries to be an important record, or anything else that it clearly isn't. Or it could be that songs like "Optimist" are brisk, speedy, sunny, and undeniably fun. Isn't that what this genre is supposed to be all about