Dopamines

Following two well-received records (one full-length and one EP) in as many years, Cincinnati, OH's Dopamines return with Expect the Worst, another seeming homage to Lookout Records ― an influence the band readily admit. Recycled, maybe, but that isn't to say there's anything tired about this record; the Dopamines tap into a universal, young 20s, directionless state, drinking all night and being unemployed, and sneering in defence of world views and lifestyle choices that keep them doing just that. Paired with straightforward, bouncy, harmony-laden pop punk reminiscent of earlier Green Day and Alkaline Trio, songs like "Dick Simmons" perfectly encapsulate the songwriting, performance and playfully obnoxious snark that make the Dopamines so great, and its hook, "my life, your life, don't want to hear it, nananana," is an instant classic. As long as they keep making records that capture relatively static states of being with such conviction, this band's audience is pretty much guaranteed.