Album Review Mom Jeans - Sweet Tooth

Mom Jeans’ third album, ‘Sweet Tooth’, is something of a departure for the four-piece. The lyricism is still very much heart-on-sleeve, but this time their influences have shifted, drawing more from early-’00s pop-punk and emo. The result is a much fuller sounding record, more optimistic also, bringing to mind bands such as New Found Glory, Yellowcard, or The All-American Rejects. Rather than emulating, however, they succeed in imbuing that era with their own sense of understated emotion. ‘Something Sweet’ is a bright-and-breezy opener that features the best guitars on the record. Follow up ‘What’s Up’ is straight out of the Blink-182 playbook, and is a perfect example of what’s to come. Of course, those who prefer the band’s more DIY emo roots might balk at a more produced, poppier sounding record. They’ll also likely balk a little at the lyricism, which feels much more on the nose than previously. There is a chance that lines such as “If you just put your hand on top of my shoulder / I’ll miss my friends but we can grow older” might be tongue-in-cheek, but even then it feels somewhat trite. ‘Hippo In The Water’ is an early highlight; its gang vocals and brass inject some early vigour into the record and providing a future live highlight for sure. ‘Anime Theme Song’ is another, harbouring a poppy urgency. ‘Sweet Tooth’ is a bold step in a new direction that will feel a little too familiar to those of us somewhat long in the tooth, but is otherwise an upbeat offering from a band proving they’re not just one trick ponies.