In a musical climate where gloom is championed over light-hearted glory, Long Island pop-rock legends Patent Pending have never ceased to produce the latter. ’Riot Hearts Rebellion’ capitalizes on their mission to command the pop-rock sphere with their unique strain of unapologetic attitude.

Although often glossed in an over-produced electronic glaze (‘Little Diamonds’ and ’Until The Sun Comes Up’) which threatens to tip the balance towards a pop-electronic side, there is just enough of an edgier bite. ’Started In My Head’ is an argument to naysayers, defiantly stating they still have the spine-tingling riffs at their disposal.

Members of “The Second Family” – the self-proclaimed official fanbase for the band – will find comfort in the staple PP sound that is present on ’Love Is Anarchy’, as burly gang vocals reign supreme over a backdrop of robotic churning stokes. Love is reduced to “just another word for catastrophe,” where Patent Pending once again express their distinct hopeless sardonic trademark humour.

‘Last Time That I Saw You’ tallies up the worst imaginable anecdotes of a drunken night. The bar is raised at the climax of confusion where Ragosta laments, ”I woke up handcuffed to a briefcase, I was clueless, how did I do this?” left to simmer beneath the surface of the punchy noughties pop punk splendour.

Patent Pending remain consistently admirable for their refusal to stray from a brand of goofball pop punk that would be seen as merely “nostalgic.” They have not necessarily pushed any envelope, but have certainly added to their already large repertoire of anthemic poppy sing-a-longs to suggest there is still a void to fill.

3.5/5

’Riot Hearts Rebellion’ by Patent Pending is out now on Rude Heart Records.

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Words by Aaron Akeredolu (@boymostlikelyto)