One of the most widely-adored pop punk bands of the ‘00s thanks to infectious hits such as Swing Swing and Gives You Hell, All-American Rejects are back after a long break. Some 14 years on from the release of ‘Kids In The Street’, their fifth LP ‘Sandbox’ is a desperate effort to encapsulate all the vibrant energy of their youth.
Get This is the strongest song of the bunch and an example of the band’s formula working nicely — it’s a feel good, summer-ready anthem with a big hook. Elsewhere, the wheels are off.
Easy Come, Easy Go dips a toe into surf-rock, employing raucous punk energy in a manner that doesn’t suit Tyson Ritter’s clean cut vocal style in the slightest.
Lyrically, Eggshell Tap Dancer has the bones of something great but its execution is seriously lacking energy and vibrancy, while the dejected acoustics of Green Isn’t Yellow are delivered with a horrible country twang.
The biggest letdown, though, is Clothesline, a subtle nod to their indelible pop-punk legacy that lacks the ambition and vigour originally expected from ‘Sandbox’ after so much time away. There was so much hope and promise on its shoulders, yet it falls flat on its face at almost every hurdle.
All American Rejects Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sun June 14 2026 - MANCHESTER Academy
Tue June 16 2026 - LONDON O2 Forum
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