Hurry Up and Wait is the latest from Toronto’s Wasting Time. It’s the immediate follow-up to 2023 EP Chainsaw Dynamos and sees the four-piece picking up right where they left off. It’s a succinct collection of tightly-spun punk-rock head-bobbers. Frontman/songwriter Vlad Bojco wears his influences (Green Day, Alkaline Trio) proudly on his sleeve and it shows on melodic fare like “Wrote It In Blew” and “Riding The Wave”. Opener “How Much I Miss Those Days” seems tailor-made for arena shows with its pogo-friendly beat. Personal favs include burner “Up In Arms” and extra-hooky “Whaddya Say”.

Paint-by-numbers punk rock this ain’t. There’s a couple serious left turns as Bojco shows off his songwriting range. Doo-wop duet “Told You So” (featuring Audrey Lynn) carries luau-vibes before reaching an unexpected (and welcome) thunderous crescendo. Piano ballad closer “Camp Worby” looms dangerously close to saccharine Andrew Lloyd Webber territory but sticks the landing without overplaying its hand. Elsewhere “Happiest Guy In The World” throws an outro with a wink and a nod to Supertramp’s “Goodbye Stranger” and album highlight “Pearl” is a love-letter to Ti West’s eponymous villain.

Held up against Wasting Time’s remarkably consistent back catalog, Hurry Up and Wait has plenty to satiate old fans, yet still feels fresh. Highly recommended.