I’m not in the business of declaring any genre to be “dead,” but pop-punk has been in a dormant stage in the last several years. Too many bands have wasted time making attempts at being the next Blink-182, or Fall Out Boy (for the sake of relevance). There’s still plenty of talented bands out there, but few have made an impact on me like Mixtapes.

Hailing from the land of Bengals and WKRP, Mixtapes are something of a big deal for me. On the surface, the music is no different than most pop-punk bands you’ve heard: with plenty of three-chord riffs and catchy melodies. Lyrically they’re an absolute riot. There’s a plethora of sarcastic quips and pop culture references to be found and quite frankly I’m a sucker for any song that can properly reference Die Hard With A Vengeance. For instance, band member Ryan Rockwell stated the following regarding their recent signing to No Sleep Records last year:

“We are really excited to be signing to No Sleep Records and making our first full length, we are currently in the studio and making magic. We are excited to be spreading the lyrics of Cam’ron, good fashion techniques, and also the opportunity to make friends of many races, nationalities, and even different musical taste (maybe). We are recording just over 20 songs and can’t wait to see what makes the album. As for the sound it sounds pretty much what we sound like, although less acoustic.”

Underneath their blanket of smart-ass remarks, there’s a distinct vulnerability that underlines many of their songs. They’re far from being the first band to ever tackle subjects like life and love, but it’s done in such a way that’s both relatable and fun. The upcoming album Ordinary Silence will be Mixtapes’ sophomore effort for No Sleep. The fine people at The AV Club have dibs on the track, so give “Elevator Days” a listen here.