Album Reviews

In the endless sea of nostalgia-fueled pop-punk comebacks - where some hit the mark and others fall flat on their faces (looking at you Good Charlotte) - Cartel return with Learning How To Cope, their first full-length in 13 years.

Instead of chasing modern trends, the Conyers, GA-based veterans stick to their guns with 12 tracks of polished, hook-heavy pop-punk with frontman Will Pugh sounding as sharp as ever.

Musically, it’s a solid return to form. Album opener "All Singing, All Dancing" sets the bar high with an anthemic chorus and driving riffs, while "Constants" is another early album highlight, which comes with a little help from Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba. Elsewhere, tracks like the grungy “Deadbeat Drag”  "Inside Out" and the bubbly "Sry Not Sry" deliver classic Cartel hooks, while "Shirts & Skins" - which was released when ICE agents flooded the streets of Minnesota - takes a surprising, aggressive jab at political authoritarianism.

While the album is far from a lazy cash-in, there are a few mid-album tracks (“Give Or Take”, “Sry Not Sry”) that feel overly comfortable, with the band playing it a bit too safe within their well-established wheelhouse. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Learning How To Cope is a confident and heartfelt comeback that delivers exactly what longtime fans want: sharp melodies, personal lyrics, and big choruses.