7/10

After three years since their debut record 'Get Disowned' and finding themselves a new home with Saddle Creek Records, Philadelphia indie pop outfit Hop Along return with their latest full-length 'Painted Shut', and as a far as timing goes, this new record couldn't have been released at a more appropriate time.

The album is filled with a sun-kissed summertime vibe that would only make it even more popular as we move into these sunnier months. But while on the outside they may sound like a band that has been kicking back in the glorious heat for most of their lives, their East Coast upbringing has laced their material with a solid sense of grounding, giving the record a far more down-to-earth sound and kept a passionate fire burning within their own style of songwriting.

With the odd clear homage to 90s American pop punk and the millennial emo movement, Hop Along have managed to conceive a record that not only holds its own musically but also takes you on a journey through the lead singer's Frances Quinlan own trials and tribulation. 'Painted Shut' is one of those releases that you can find instant rapport with and let's you find relevance with your own life within it.