In Too Deep: When Canadian Punks Took Over the World

Music journalists Bobkin and Feibel debut with a nostalgic genealogy of the golden age of Canadian punk rock. Beginning in the 2000s, after punk went mainstream and spread from big cities to smaller towns, Canada became a breeding ground for some of the era’s best-known acts. Those included Sum 41, who gained popularity with their “relentless thrill-seeking” and wild stunts; Avril Lavigne, who broke the “good-clean-fun” mold generally expected of young female artists with her rebellious attitude and blend of poppy and “moody, edgy, and hard-nosed” sounds; and Simple Plan, who gained international fame with catchy lyrics and upbeat melodies, leading fans at home to accuse them of selling out—a common challenge for Canadian acts, the authors note. Despite providing a comprehensive look at a vibrant period in popular music, the authors fail to successfully make the case that Canadian punk rock was unique, and their rose-colored perspective doesn’t always help their case (“Simple Plan will likely always... be those road-warrior kids from Montreal who took their childhood friendship and shared love of punk rock and worked as hard as they could to share it with the world”). Only dedicated fans of pop-punk need apply. (June)