Simple Plan, “Harder Than It Looks.”

As the saying goes, the more things change, the more they remain the same. To some degree, that sentiment applies to Canadian pop-punk stalwarts Simple Plan. The band’s sixth album, Harder Than It Looks, is a progression of what it’s been doing from the start. Breaking out with 2002’s No Pads, No Helmet…Just Balls, Simple Plan has faithfully melded earnest tales about rebelliousness and not fitting with upbeat, punky anthems. While the pendulum has sometimes swung toward pop and other times toward punk, the core sound has remained true.

For Harder Than It Looks, the band’s first self-released work since parting ways with Atlantic Records, Simple Plan set aside its recent collaborative streak and explorations into pop, hip-hop and balladry to deliver a straightforward affair.

One thing that has changed over two decades is the band’s lyrical disposition, mixing in some positivity and optimism into its cauldron of storm clouds and rain. Opening track “Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare’s Over)” reflects that sentiment.  While it delves into current world affairs, singer Pierre Bouvier is clearly looking at the light at the end of the tunnel.

“If we hit the lowest low/ There’s only one place left to go/ And I won’t just give up hope,” Bouvier sings.

“Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare’s Over)” has since been used as a rallying cry for supporters of Ukraine, following its invasion by Russia.

The album’s lone collaboration is with Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley on melodic rocker “Ruin My Life.” Bouvier and Whibley are a great pairing, both frontmen coming from a similar era and still finding success all these years later. The song is effective because it doesn’t skimp on the production.

Then there’s “The Antidote,” which is very much the calling card of a Simple Plan song. In some ways it’s a conversation between the band and its fans. The lyrics aren’t all that nuanced, but the song remains all about the message.

The energy ramps up on upbeat love tune “Million Pictures of You,” which mixes nostalgia with an optimism about the road ahead. Some of the band’s poppier leanings come out on the bass-heavy grooves of “Anxiety,” which also fuses a pinch of ska and a touch of reggae through the familiar Simple Plan lens. The distorted guitars return for “Congratulations,” a no-nonsense fist-pumping rocker that’s heavy on harmony. It doesn’t have the rosy outlook of other tracks on Harder Than It Looks, but it still emphasizes taking the high road in a bad situation.

“You’re the one that’s gotta live with what you do/ Karma’s coming back for you,” Bouvier sings.

The triumphant “Iconic” mixes in a big gang vocal chorus with some brass and drum loops to create what surely has the potential to become a soaring sports anthem. It sounds a little like Fall Out Boy’s “Champion,” another cut written to energize.

Then, “Best Day Of My Life” plays like a response to “The Worst Day Ever,” off Simple Plan’s 2022 debut album. This one’s about living every day to the fullest and making the most of every moment. The band closes out with straight-ahead pop-punk track “Slow Motion” and reconciliation power ballad “Two.”

Harder Than It Looks is a continuation for a band that’s stayed true to its sound from the start. Simple Plan is aging gracefully, no longer writing songs about teenage angst and rebellion; instead focusing on the better days to come.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.