Pop punk has always had a soft spot for slogans. From diehards shouting “Pop Punk’s Not Dead” to gatekeepers rallying behind “Defend Pop Punk,” the genre thrives on bold catchphrases. But Montreal, Quebec’s own pop punk revivalists SUCKERPUNCH! might just have the best one yet to sum up their fresh, no-frills approach: “Fun and Dumb.”Formed in 2022, SUCKERPUNCH! — who consist of Fred Thuot (Vocals), Thierry Martineau (Guitar/Vocals), Romain Prugne (Guitar), Zack Ouimet (Guitar/Vocals), Jonathan Dubreuil (Bass), and Alain Lebarbe (Drums) — are restoring pop punk to its foundational core of relatable yet tongue-in-cheek lyricism, emotive vocals, high-octane guitar riffs, bouncing drums, and a penchant for sunny, sugar-sweet hooks. With the band’s reverence for the seminal years of the “neon pop punk era” and influences ranging from All Time Low, Forever The Sickest Kids, and Metro Station, SUCKERPUNCH! aim to provide their listeners with the same youthful rush of energy and hope they experienced from their favorite artists.Keeping in the spirit of “going big” and certainly “refusing to go home,” SUCKERPUNCH! enlisted a “Pop Punk A-Team” of heavy-hitter collaborators to execute their grand visions for theEP and bring the five-track collection of certified bangers to life. Produced by Kyle Marchant (Bearings, Rarity, nothing,nowhere, Like Pacific) and mixed by James Paul Wisner (Paramore, Underoath, Dashboard Confessional) the band also dove deep into the co-writing world —working with in-demand songwriters including Paul Marc Rousseau of Canadian post-hardcore legends Silverstein on the track “LIKE ME LIKE THAT,” and perhaps most special of all, Seb Lefebvre of Montreal pop punk heroes Simple Plan. After several “highly-caffeinated” writing sessions with Lefebvre, the band emerged with two lovesick anthems, “SURVIVE YOU” and “THE LAST TIME.”If GO BIG OR GO HOME were indeed a movie, it would surely evoke memories of the classic coming-of-age comedies of the 2000s à la American Pie or Superbad, with SUCKERPUNCH!themselves as the cast of lovable, silly, lighthearted, and ultimately sincere characters you can’t help but root for as they navigate relationships, growing up — but most of all, having the times of their lives. While the EP beams with exhilarating vigor, this same energy translates brilliantly to the band’s live shows, with SUCKERPUNCH! pledging to offer attendees a night they will never forget. “A SUCKERPUNCH! party is for everyone,” Thuot exclaims, adding, “When you come to our shows you can leave all of your worries behind, dance with your friends and, true to our motto, keep things Fun and dumb!” So consider this your invitation: SUCKERPUNCH! is throwing the pop punk party of the year, and you better not miss it.