This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
After 12 years in punk rock, you pretty much have three choices: Move up, give up or grow up. New Jersey’s long-serving Bouncing Souls have taken Door No. 3, Monty.
Hopeless Romantic, their fourth disc, is their most accessible of all, loaded with powerfully catchy melodies, punk rock singalongs and more hooks than a meat locker. Not to mention the occasional glimpse of maturity and thoughtful nostalgia in the lyrics. Sure, deep down, the Souls are still punk rock goofs at heart — the kind of guys who write lines like “I’m a hopeless romantic / You’re just hopeless.” But even though they’re still living for Saturday night, they’re old enough to know you’ll have to pay for it the morning after.
