Daniel "Soupy" Campbell, the lead singer and lyricist of
the Wonder Years, has never been a guy hesitant to wear his heart on his sleeve, which, of course, is part of the point of being in what is generally thought of as an emo band. But while Campbell has always had plenty to say about the stories of fellow kids from Philly trying to make sense of an often unforgiving world, he's chosen to take on bigger themes on
the Wonder Years' fifth album. Released in 2015,
No Closer to Heaven is a song cycle Campbell has written from the perspective of a man struggling to come to terms with the death of a loved one, and Campbell doesn't hold back a bit of the guilt, grief, anger, confusion, and hopelessness that roars through his psyche every time his thoughts turn to the departed. While Campbell takes us on an emotional roller coaster ride on
No Closer to Heaven, the surprise is that as broad as he plays this material, he never seems to go overboard; Campbell digs deep as both a lyricist and a performer on this album, yet the songs still feel honest and real, as if the big hurt was plenty enough to justify the rage and agony that punctuate the songs. And the clean, widescreen production (by
Steve Evetts) and hard, expressive performances from the band (especially guitarists Matthew Brasch and Casey Cavaliere and drummer Michael Kennedy) brilliantly reinforce the songs, delivering a passion and ferocity that's just as strong as what the frontman brings to the sessions. With
No Closer to Heaven, Campbell and
the Wonder Years have made an album that's more mature and thoughtful than before, but no less passionate and direct, and it ranks with their finest work to date as well as suggesting this band has an interesting and exciting future ahead. ~ Mark Deming