Kevin Bronson on February 20th, 2017

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After two albums and an EP, singer-guitarist Van Pierszalowski gave his band Waters a rest last year, releasing two singles under the guise of his solo project Van William. Now he’s revved up his quintet’s engine again with the declaration: “I wanted to make a record that was communicating with my teenager self, as if to say ‘It’s always gonna be the same shit just in slightly different contexts.’ I wanted to make a mixtape, scribble notes all over the paper sleeve, get into the DeLorean, find high-school Van, and say ‘Listen to this.’”

So “Hiccups” is the first single from Waters’ third album, “Something More!,” due May 19 via Vagrant, and it’s evidence that high-school Van was probably mainlining a lot of Weezer and a smattering of lesser power-pop/pop-punk bands of the era. Waters — Pierszalowski along with guitarist Brian DaMert, bassist Greg Sellin, keyboardist Sara Damert and drummer Andrew Wales — made the album with producer Tim Pagnotta (Walk The Moon). If it’s teenage angst you’re looking to channel, you’ve come to the right place, and please have fun. If you’re looking for all those maladjustments to be articulated in a slightly new way, move along.

||| Stream: “Hiccups”