Chumped – Teenage Retirement (Anchorless)

Chumped – Teenage Retirement (Anchorless)

Over the past few years, there’s been a reclamation of punk-pop: It’s a pointed inversion of pop-punk — a term that still holds some negative connotations due to a mid-2000s saturation — and it’s allowed bands that would have previously been ignored in the traditional indie rock paradigm to realign themselves and gain some recognition. Chumped is one of the best new bands to come out of the fold, and their debut Teenage Retirement is a sparkling example of the form. It’s all about the tumultuous ups and downs of early adulthood, a time during which “when I hold you, I don’t feel change” can quickly change to “it’s so easy to feel nothing.” There’s a vast difference between the two, and Chumped traverse that gulf with aplomb. The burden to pull it all off rests on the shoulders of lead vocalist Anika Pyle, who is as charismatic a frontperson as they come. Her voice provides the anchor on Teenage Retirement, and everything else flows beautifully around it. –James [LISTEN]