New Found Glory return with Listen Up!, first album in six years
Photo credit: Angelea Yoder
This Friday, New Found Glory return with Listen Up!, their first full-length in nearly six years, on February 20.
Nearly three decades into their run, the Florida band shows no signs of slowing down. Listen Up! marks their 11th studio album and their first release via Pure Noise Records, with this album serving both as reflection on everything they’ve survived and a reminder of why they’re still here.
“We wanted to make something that really focused on how lucky we are,” guitarist Chad Gilbert says. That sentiment runs straight through the album’s title. Listen Up! isn’t just about music—it’s about paying attention. To the lyrics. To the moment. And to the people around you.
“We’ve all gone through serious stuff in our lives, and I think the lyrics on this record are more meaningful and purposeful than ever. It’s a positive outlet that hopefully keeps people going.”
“Obviously there’s the relationship to music,” Gilbert explains, “but we called the album Listen Up! because we’re trying to offer something a little deeper… I think this is the most honest and universally relatable record we’ve made in years—maybe ever.”
The record was written and recorded while Gilbert continued treatment for aggressive metastatic cancer, a reality that could’ve stalled the band entirely. Instead, it sharpened their focus. Alongside vocalist Jordan Pundik, bassist Ian Grushka, and drummer Cyrus Bolooki, the band leaned into a more collaborative approach.
Listen Up! is New Found Glory’s 11th Studio Album, and their first with Pure Noise Records.
“Being able to grab a guitar and jam these riffs with Ian and Chad before I even picked up a drumstick allowed for more creativity to come out,” Bolooki says. “My background is more theory-based, and I think that helped bridge the gap between different musical ideas.”
Gilbert’s commitment during the sessions is impossible to ignore. “I was between cancer treatments making the record,” he says. “I was going into the studio in the morning, then the hospital, then back to finish a guitar track. We had to arrange the schedule so we could finish the album.”
“Despite everything Chad was going through, he’d come in ready to roll,” Pundik adds. “That set the tone. We tried not to overthink it and just have fun with it.”
And it shows.
As veterans of the pop-punk scene, at this point in their career, New Found Glory aren’t chasing relevance. Instead they are reinforcing their legacy with a new generation of fans.
Listen Up! is about persistence, perspective, and learning to find joy after everything life throws at you. For a band whose members have been to hell and back, that might be the most punk move of all.
RØKKR had an advance listen to the full album. So be sure to keep scrolling for our track-by-track breakdown!
Track Notes
Boom Roasted – 2:44
The shortest track on the record wastes no time. This song is like the friend who walks into the house party and calls for shots before the door even closes. Power chords, immediate momentum, and a lyrical hooks. It has it all.
100% – 3:31
This song was road-tested last summer with The Offspring and Jimmy Eat World. Shifting tempos keep this one moving, anchored by the line “My word is cement, I’m gonna give you 100%.”
Laugh It Off – 3:39
A distorted guitar lick pulls you straight back to pop-punk’s golden era. This song gives Warped Tour energy through and through: big stages, big crowds, big sound.
A Love Song – 3:25
A love letter to fleeting summer romances. It feels right in the moment, and probably questionable later. This song doesn’t feel like a ballad, though. It’s light on its feet and keeps the listener locked in.
Beer and Blood Stains – 3:20
One of our favorites on the album. A riff-heavy nod to the band’s early years and the youthful chaos of local scenes. “It was our home, and our time, how did we make it out alive?” A mid-song breakdown eventually opens into a chant that leaves no doubt where NFG came from: “Flor-i-da! Flor-i-da!”
Medicine – 4:13
Right at the album’s midpoint, this song pulls back on the heavy riffs. The vocals carry the weight early, giving the record space to breathe, before distortion creeps back in for a long, driving bridge. It’s a well-crafted track that keeps the album moving forward, dedicated to the best friends who help us do the same.
Treat Yourself – 3:39
With snappy snares and echoed woahs, this song leans a little more punk before settling squarely back into pop-punk territory.
Dream Born Again – 4:25
There’s already “A Love Song” on this album, but this one hits differently. The track would slide perfectly into a coming-of-age, slightly messy rom-com.
You Got This – 3:16
It’s one of the shortest songs on the record, but it earns its place on Listen Up!. The song is built around blunt advice like,“Your life is a total mess, so what are you gonna do about it?” This banger of song shifts the tempo late in the album and closes with a pit-worthy breakdown.
Frankenstein’s Monster – 3:57
Saving one of the best for last, Frankenstein’s Monster stitches together everything that came before it. The song reflects on Gilbert’s cancer journey, closing the album with something that feels perfect for an encore live.
