Album Review: ME., All Good Things

By Christian Cole, OOTB Publications

It’s not an unknown fact that I hold a soft spot for pop-punk and emo, but when Mark O’Connell and Eddie Reyes of Taking Back Sunday fame announced an upcoming independent album (All Good Things) in the form of ME., I couldn’t help but fear for the worst. Dreading the nostalgia-vomit music we too often see these days from aging pop punkers. (i.e. Green Day, Blink 182), my hopes were admittedly low.

BUT, much to my surprise, what I find in ME. is genuine—it’s honest, it’s fun. Sure, it has a few of those moments, the weaker side of things, but all in all it is a genuine revival of sonic comraderie paired well with good production and well presented vocals.

The riffs are good, the hooks are catchy, but not in a try-hard way, and the overall energy is certainly present.

While many artists can’t pull off a comeback of this stature, I’m pleased to say these guys can. Would it top my 2026 album’s list? No. But, it certainly sits far ahead of what we typically receive from emo-veteran comebacks.

With Casey Carter at the helm on vocals, the band feels tight and well rehearsed. The catharsis is present, and you can feel a sense of joy omitting from the music, the joy of reconnection. The joy of rebuilding.

All in all, I think All Good Things is a pretty stellar return to form for aging pop punkers, it certainly takes the cake over most of what we’ve seen from such genre veterans the last ten years, and I believe that says enough.

Rating

2.9/5

Favorite Tracks

“Bloodsport”

“Big Smiles”

Tracklist

1. An Introduction

2. Bloodsport

3. Grown Man

4. Special

5. Violent People

6. Nuzzo