Nothing Personal [LP]

In the video for All Time Low's "Weightless" there is a humorous scene where Mark Hoppus from Blink 182 laments that not only does ATL rip off Fall Out Boy, but both groups rip off his own band. This kind of refinement of a basic style is, of course, what makes music change and develop; on NOTHING PERSONAL All Time Low incorporates the best elements of all the pop-punk and emo that came before, matching irreverence, introspection, and tight, solidly rocking ensemble playing with bubblegum-catchy melodies. "Damned If I Do Ya" reaches back even further, its hooky guitar riff and "oh oh oh"'s recalling classic heavy pop of the Cheap Trick/Rick Springfield variety, while on the abovementioned "Weightless" vocalist Alex Gaskarth slyly acknowledges his place in the ongoing process as he laments, at age 20, that he's "over getting older." Throughout, All Time Low eschews self-indulgence and cleverness for its own sake in the service of sharp, direct songwriting, making NOTHING PERSONAL a standout among emo-tinged pop-punk releases.