We Are The In Crowd’s latest effort, Weird Kids is an expertly crafted album that strives to completely take over the scene as much as it plays right into its hands. While each song has a ‘typical’ lyrical style to the pop punk genre, it’s written in a way that tests you not to sing along. We Are The In Crowd don’t particularly push any fresh territory with Weird Kids, but instead put together the best elements of the genre as a whole into an absolute monster of an album.

Weird Kids is loud. The guitars are strong and vibrantly memorable, paced with lively drumming that kept calling my attention. It stays the course for a pop punk record, but varies itself enough throughout that no two songs ever sound even remotely similar.

Tay Jardine pushes her vocals across each track, always finding a higher note and snapping in quick lyrical synapses. Meanwhile, Jordan Eckes’ backing vocals are again a perfect counterbalance whenever he duets with her. Lyrically, the album is very positive, creating youthful anthems about overcoming adversity within and without, as well as scorning past lovers.

The best compliment and, sadly, biggest insult I can give the record is that it constantly reminded me of Paramore (I guess it’s to be expected) and oddly enough, The Academy Is…’s Almost Here. Jardine’s voice is eerily similar to Hayley Williams’ when she hits her high notes. Regardless, We Are The In Crowd are poised to become one of the scene’s biggest contenders with Weird Kids.

“The Best Thing (That Never Happened)” is a frantic pop song layered over planked synth and Franz Ferdinand styled guitar riffs with an incredibly strong chorus that pops with each line. It never slows its pace down and instead jumps with each note. “Attention” is one of the fastest songs and has some of the most memorable lyrics as Jardine and Eckes bicker back and forth sporadically amidst a frenzied chorus of, “I know the way I wanna be but I’m trapped in who I am / The only thing that holds me back is believing that I need to change.”

Meanwhile, “Reflections” is the perfect closing track, being an incredibly fast punk song that never stops upping the ante and sums up everything that the album is about, “Destiny is overrated so I think I’ll write my own / I Don’t believe it’s complicated so I think I’ll stay at home / I followed the leader now I just follow myself.”

Weird Kids is without a doubt the highlight of We Are The In Crowd’s career thus far. It’s a powerful album that stays strong throughout all ten songs and practices what it preaches; overcome and never give an inch. Every song is just as strong as the last and when it ends, you’re left in that abrupt glowing silence that follows every great record. Anyone who cherry picks songs from albums is completely screwed here. Be prepared to memorize each one.

4.5/5

by Kyle Schultz

Kyle Schultz is the Senior Editor at It’s All Dead and has worked as a gaming journalist at Structure Gaming. He lives in Chicago and yells at the rain on occasion. He also wants to play you in FIFA.