The Wonder Years

Sister Cities

With a calculated mix of deft manoeuvring and brute force, the Wonder Years have broken the bindings of pop punk once and for all. Sister Cities is the first of the Pennsylvania heavyweights’ records that refuses to be pigeonholed. It’s not gonna drive fans away, but is the result of a gradual shift that preserves the band’s distinct stylistic markers and singer Dan Campbell’s emotive power while applying it all with greater maturity and deliberation. “Raining in Kyoto” kicks off the record with power; its pummelling bridge and huge choruses show a band putting their backs into Riot Going On