It’s been nearly a decade since Josh Caterer broke up his landmark band The Smoking Popes to pursue his love of Christ (ironic, we know). There was a brief solo foray into gospel, and an almost-return to form with the enjoyable “Volume & Density” from Duvall. But Halle-fucking-lujah and praise the Lord, Chicago’s favorite sons are back with a new record called “Stay Down.” And already debate is raging about the whether the album lives up to the band’s previous triumphs. A trio of Chicagoans weigh in:

Chicago Sun-Times says:
“The new tracks sound clean and crisp and classic Popes, justifying the “pop” part of their omnipresent “pop-punk” label, from the ’90s-by-numbers guitar scraping of the opener, “Welcome to Janesville,” and the anthemic “Grab Your Heart and Run” to the tuneful ballads “If You Don’t Care” and “It’s Never Too Late (For Love).” The album even closes with a refreshing acoustic touch in the romantic pangs of “First Time.”" | Source

The Daily Herald disagrees:
“Yes, velvet-voiced singer/songwriter Josh Caterer has retained his endearing blend of youthful enthusiasm and youthful pessimism, setting heartbreakingly sad lyrics to breakneck punk rock backdrops. Yes, the band still approaches those punk rock backdrops like they’re ripping blues tracks. But at the same time, whatever the x-factor that made 1997’s “Destination: Failure” one of the most lovable albums to ever emerge from the Windy City, it just isn’t showing its face here.” | Source

Can You See The Sunset says:
“Josh is still crooning but not as lovelorn as during the band’s first tour of duty and the band’s buzzsaw dual guitar attack is as potent as ever. The Smoking Popes are (and always were) a slightly punky power-pop band with huge melodies packed into simple (and simply amazing) songs. “Stay Down” is all that and more.” | Source

What does this website think?
The record is mellower than records past, but not for the worst — in a way that totally makes sense. Melody is still king, as is Josh Caterer’s sweet Morrissey wail and tales of romantic longing. Smoking Popes records are like your kids, you love them equally, just not in exactly the same way.

Local Anasthetic, hosted by Richard Milne, on 93XRT in Chicago has an excellent audio interview with Josh Caterer that covers the band’s history and what went on in the intervening years since their breakup. You can download it here. And here’s an exceprt:

“I tried for a period of maybe six months to sort of incorporate my faith into what the Popes were doing — and we would talk about it on stage and stuff. And it was a bit of an uncomfortable mixture there. But it was something that I needed to set other things aside and just focus on — growing in my faith and going after God whole-heartedly.”

Smoking Popes – “Little Jane-Marie”

RELATED: Jesus Christ This Guy Writes Good Tunes