Ten-Year Itch is a weekly column that focuses on a film or album at least 10 years old and deserving of a second look.

Over the past decade pop-punk has become a teenager’s game.

Both the performers and the fans are struggling with acne and what to become a fan of on Facebook next.

Back in the 90s it was commonplace for the pop-punk heavyweights to be dudes who could actually grow facial hair. Sure they were still churning out three-chord rock and singing about breakups, but it came across less juvenile.

Labels like Fat Wreck Chords and Asian Man were putting out some of the best of the genre, but it was a major label who nabbed one of the best groups to come out of the mid 90s crop.

Capitol Records was the label home for Illinois natives, Smoking Popes.

The Popes had a knack setting ominous, heartbroken lyrics to chugging guitar riffs and rapid-fire drum work. The band’s Capitol swan song, ‘Destination Failure’ is an exhibition in how to make pop-punk the right way.

Singer Josh Caterer touches on all of the signature topics, which in this genre mostly consists of relationship trouble or actually trying to get into a relationship. Even though the band is running through the same things many had done before it, its penchant for pop hooks set the band apart from its peers.

The band succeeded in not being another cookie-cutter pop-punk act by incorporating the pop senses of acts like Big Star and even a bit of Todd Rundgren. Melding other influences into its sound besides The Ramones gave the record its staying power.

Caterer also had a vocal style that made the melancholia and depression in his lyrics seem carefree. His vocals stay on the same high plane, never dipping too many octaves lower, which made for a sincerely jubilant record. Even if the subject matter was not always the brightest.

A number of the songs on the record should have catapulted The Popes to Weezer levels of fame. The band lacked some of the playfulness of Weezer but tracks like ‘I Know You Love Me’ had no reason to not be burning up modern rock charts in 1997.

The band’s label had become disenfranchised with the group after diminishing returns, so a large push was not behind the record.

Even without heavy MTV and radio play, the band continued to tour heavily with the likes of Green Day and Morrissey, winning over thousands of fans.

‘Destination Failure’ is a sadly, forgotten gem of the 90s. Anyone who gets down with three chords and killer pop hooks needs to grab this record immediately.

Luke McCormick can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275

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