Underclass Hero
As arguably the last band bearing the pop-punk torch, Sum 41 show with *Underclass Hero* that they can grow up without losing any of their rude and unruly appeal. It all begins with the fist-pumping anthem, “Underclass Hero,” which recycles the furious riffs from Sum’s breakthrough hit “Fat Lip” as it reiterates that song’s message: “*We\'re here to represent / And spit right in the face of the establishment.*” While Sum’s brand of rebellion may still have more to do with pantsing the security guard at the mall than storming the White House, the frustration they voice is heartfelt. When you get straight to the heart of the matter, what could be more succinct and comforting than “Confusion and Frustration In Modern Times?” As the album unfolds, songwriter Deryck Whibley remains as candid about his hatred for the current political leaders (“March of the Dogs,” “The Jester”), his fragmented family life (“Dear Father” and “Walking Disaster”) and his romantic relationships (“With Me,” “Best of Me”). After four albums, Sum 41 can still deliver the goods to their fans with more honesty and integrity than their critics ever thought possible.
Sum 41 may have turned flippancy and potty jokes into brand tenets, but with 2004's Chuck—a politically aware collision of Top 40 punk and Iron Maiden-esque metal—the Canadian group reinvented itself, displaying a conscience to match its sizable chops. Since then, Sum 41 lost its chief metalhead (guitarist Dave Baksh)…
Discover Underclass Hero by Sum 41 released in 2007. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
It was Sum 41’s juvenile takes on brash, snotty pop-punk LPs All Killer, No Filler and Does This Look Infected? that made them one of the most visible...
Sum 41 - Underclass Hero review: Painted the album as a faster, punker American Idiot, the reality is that the music is inoffensive and overproduced, and the political posturing is comical at best.