Can You Keep a Secret? is the enticing title of Diva Bleach’s newest release. But if the secret is the band themselves, unfortunately my lips are running. From the opening notes of “Obsessed,” memories of Avril Lavigne, Paramore, and Flyleaf all come to mind. But beyond these “old” comparisons, the group up earn comparisons to Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish just as easily. And while pop punk might not be a full-sufficient description, the band’s angsty, romantically-pining lyricism set with bright melodies and upbeat instrumentation should certainly feel familiar.

I don’t follow labels much anymore, and I haven’t heard the name InVogue in probably about a decade, but something about this pairing makes sense. And it’s clear that this is a band with clear mainstream potential. Does Diva Bleach reinvent the wheel? No. But it turns out the wheel was fine; maybe it was just a tire in need of a bit more air. And even as they singing about hoping people hate them, it’d be a rare kind of soulless individual who would spin this album and not want to sing along.

Did you maybe ever wonder what Jimmy Eat World would sound like with a female vocalist? Look no further than “Kiss Her Goodbye” – the who cadence of the chorus, included the chant-like repetition of words, just screams Bleed American. On “Decay,” Diva Bleach opt for a Y2K alt-pop sound a la Hillary Duff. Maybe telling some of these influences are only a thin hair apart, but it’s worth showing how much this group encapsulates in their songs.

“I wanna make you obsessed,” the album opens, all while mixing in the anthemic mood of songs like “Sk8r Boi.” Diva Bleach isn’t simply derivative; sure, there are a whole number of relationship cliches you can string together to have instant success, and there are a few of those at play. But if the band wanted to take the path of least resistance, they could have gone a number of simpler routes. Want to tap into a primarily-female fanbase? Ditch the real instruments and and overproduce. And I can personally attest that as I get older, many of my friends actually listen to less and less music. Nostalgia isn’t enough to carry them. The conclusion that seems to make sense is that Diva Bleach actually love the music they play and the words they sing. It’s a party, maybe even a bit of a pity party, but it’s stupidly fun and catchy. This is a group who is capable of stacking an album with hit after hit, jumping between all the lunch room tables of 90s and 00s alternative music. And I guess the secret’s out.