I don’t know a whole lot about Hop Along. I know that they’re on Saddle Creek—home of bands like Bright Eyes and Cursive—and I know that I’ve heard their name tossed around among emo circles.

With this information, I expected a lot of heart-tugging songwriting and emotive delivery.

I did not expect it to be so damn catchy.Yes, there are plenty of emo elements here. Frances Quinlan often pushes her lilting voice to cracking. The lead guitars twinkle in a way that calls back to American Football. The lyrics are sophisticated and simple, capturing twenty-something angst with graceful, poignant accuracy.

There’s no shortage of clever, heartfelt female singer-songwriters these days. Your Julien Bakers, your Sharon Van Ettens, your Angel Olsens…artists that some of my friends have dismissed as “that sad girl shit.” Hop Along harnesses much of the same wit and sentiment, but dresses it with an unimitable pop sensibility.

And Bark Your Head Off, Dog is a pop album. The tempos rarely dip below an energetic 120, the drums popping along. The record is chockfull of singalong choruses and sunny guitars. It rarely dips into minor keys. There are occasional bursts of busy strings that hint to chamber pop.

If you don’t pay attention to the lyrics, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a feel-good summer record.

But ignoring those lyrics is a difficult task, per Frances’ ability to make her words as loud as her delivery. The words are juxtaposed in such a way to create what she calls a “potpourri of emotions.” Such as the chorus of “How Simple,” where she sings, “Don’t worry, we will both find out / Just not together.” That’s a pretty weighty phrase, but Hop Along manages to make it an irresistible singalong.

And it might just barely cross the forty-minute mark, but Bark Your Head Off, Dog is a masterpiece. It sets the bar high from the opening track and only gets better. Not only is there not a bad song on here, it’s almost impossible to choose a standout. Every song is just as infectious and heart-pulling as the next. And we might only be halfway through 2018, but this is a strong contender for album of the year.