The Bouncing Souls have never been in the New Yorker. The NJ band that has been kicking their singular brand of angular punk-anthems for upwards of 15 years now, are not necessarily what you would classify as critical darlings, but they have something more tangible. The boys have an arsenal of songs that no one in the North East corridor can deny, tracks like Sing Along Forever, Kate Is Great, or The Freaks, The Nerds, And The Romantics are as potent as anything to come up from the NJ boardwalks. All offer a glimpse of the spark that makes The Bouncing Souls such a cultural enigma; their simple straight-ahead love of the live set and steadfast dedication to their rabid devotees. On any given night at any given Souls show you can find equal parts mid-30’s professionals and 13-year-old diehards; it’s a rare band that can span generations and with the summer release of The Gold Record [Epitaph] the Bouncing Souls are in top form showing no signs of disappointing their devotees. And as The Gold Record unfolds it’s obvious that the boys have nailed it: The Gold Song kicks things off in classic Souls form; all tight riffage and fist in the air sing-a-longs. No band has a history so rich, influencing and playing with everyone from relative newbies Against Me, goth-popsters Alkaline Trio, and streetpunks The Casualties. No band has a broader catalogue of underground gems. No current, continual band has had such a lasting impact on the punk landscape. And with the release of The Gold Record that legacy of family and follow-thru promises to be set in stone.