It’s easy to answer the question of “who’s your favorite band?” when it’s asked. After eleven years, six full lengths, and two EPs, New Found Glory have yet to let me down on anything they’ve ever recorded. Tip of the Iceberg, their third EP, and first in 8 years, is no exception. For those who wrote New Found Glory off after their 2006 release Coming Home, get ready to eat your words, because this EP showcases everything people love about NFG and more, as it is some of their best material to date.
Produced and engineered by Paul Miner (Death By Stereo), New Found Glory have taken on a familiar but somewhat different sound on Tip of the Iceberg by creating three hardcore punk songsthat can be compared to Catalyst’s “Intro.” One of the most exciting things about this band is waiting to hear the vocals of Jordan Pundik on a new song that I haven’t heard yet, because with every new album, his voice keeps getting better, and with this release, it’s his best vocal performance yet. I was a bit skeptic at first as to how his voice would sound with the music but it turned out to work incredibly well. Each of the new original songs are very brief, but they’ll definitely leave a mark. “Tip of the Iceberg” is a great opener which will stamp the lyrics “This is just the tip of the iceberg / No bone in my body tells me I deserve her” into your brain, while “Dig My Own Grave” is the hardest of the three and features a sing-along chorus and vocals from Chad Gilbert during the bridge. My favorite track “If You Don’t Love Me” sounds like a title off Coming Home, but it’s probably one of the catchiest and fastest songs the band has done.
Along with three originals, Tip of the Iceberg also contains three covers from the bands Shelter, Lifetime and Gorilla Biscuits. Despite the fact that some think New Found Glory should give recording covers a rest, at least they always do a good job giving the covers justice. Personally, I prefer the originals over the covers, but by no means are they bad. They stay true to the original while still having a typical New Found Glory spin on it which always makes the songs that much more enjoyable.
Although the length of this EP isn’t surprising (Just over 12 minutes), it’s still a little discouraging that it isn’t any longer. The good thing though is that it’s lasting value is fantastic and I can’t see myself putting it down any time soon. Some people associate this genre with Summer, but this is a band that’s fit for every season. Prepare for Glory, buy this EP, and get pumped for the band’s next studio album, as this release is just the tip of the iceberg.
