Ashley Bird

Swedish melodi-punks ditch the ska influence on their fourth album.

MILLENCOLIN ARE American in everything but their nationalities. Their whole pop-punk sound and skater image comes straight from the pages of the ‘South California Punk Rock Handbook’. But they play the crisp, punchy bounce-core game as well as any of their Yank peers, so for that we can definitely forgive them for their identity complex.
Millencolin’s precious albums, ‘Tiny Tunes’, ‘Life On A Plate’ and ‘For Monkeys’ displayed the band’s affection for infectious ska rhythms and chirpy tunes, mixed in with more full-on, but neatly crafted riffery. ‘Pennybridge Pioneers’ retains their sunny, colourful outlook but goes for a more driving, heads-down approach, and it’s their most focused and cohesive collection yet.
Produced by their long-standing hero, label boss and friend, Bad Religion/Epitaph man Brett Gurewitz, the album sounds immaculate. Every guitar crunch from Mathias Farm and bass run from frontman Nikola Sa   Read Full Review >>

Andy Lapham

Remarkably lighthearted and good humoured for a Scandinavian band, Millenolin play upbeat melodic hardcore, with unconscious ease and a relaxed natural style that has endeared them to their legions of fans (and Epitaph and Burning Heart Records) for over eight years. Their long career has seen them threatened with a lawsuit by Warner Brothers over the artwork for their debut album ‘Tiny Tunes’ (renamed ‘Same Old Tunes’ as a consequence); enter the Swedish Charts at No 4 with their 220,000 selling follow up ‘Life On A Plate’; reproduce those phenomenal sales figures for the third album ‘For Monkeys’ and tour everywhere! Not bad for ‘four melancholy skateboarding punk kids’ from Sweden!
‘Pennybridge Pioneers’ is an irresistible slice of easy; melodic; (mostly) grown-up hardcore. It may lack a bit of power in places, but it compensates with proper songs and fine, understated production, and when they do pick up he pace, Millencolin do so with the same unforced style and attention to melo   Read Full Review >>