State Champs excel at pop-punk fundamentals: pogoing rhythms, slashing riffs, and melodic hooks. On their fourth studio album, the Albany, NY, band pair stellar technique with a commitment to quality control and uplifting their community. A quartet since the 2020 departure of longtime guitarist Tony Diaz, State Champs picked 11 songs to record from a pool of more than 30 they had written. The chosen few are heart-on-sleeve gems that find vocalist Derek DiScanio singing about staying true to yourself while dealing with tough times. Fittingly, State Champs also use Kings of the New Age to give props to the punk and hardcore bands that have both supported and inspired them. Four Year Strong add melodic gang vocals to the bridge of “Sundress,” while Neck Deep vocalist Ben Barlow presents a lyrical twist that changes the jaunty romantic kiss-off “Everybody but You” into an ode to moving on from bad influences.