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Being considered one of the best bands in pop-punk is either a great thing or an awful thing, depending on how seriously you take pop music. It is one of those labels that has always bothered bands that are trying to be taken more seriously by their fans.Fortunately, Motion City Soundtrack seem perfectly unable to take anything seriously, which is what makes the band’s music so refreshing, especially on the third studio release Even If It Kills Me, released Sept. 18 on Epitath Records.This is most evident on tracks such as “The Future Freaks Me Out” from the debut album and “It Had To Be You” from the new album.”It Had To Be You” begins as a forlorn monologue about lost love, but then, following a power-pop chorus complete with “woohoos,” transforms into a completely silly description of lead singer and lyricist Justin Pierre’s perfect date of getting “wrecked on pop tarts and sex” and “fighting crime with mangos and limes.”The band’s influences are audible in the album; from the swirling and surging synths that recall The Cars to self deprecating, pop culture influenced lyrics that make one think of early Weezer to the huge Cheap Trick-esque choruses, Motion City Soundtrack has been able to create a distinct sound that is instantly recognizable.It is perhaps fitting that Cars’ front man Ric Ocasek, who produced Weezer’s first album, has taken the helm for some of the production of this album; splitting duties with Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and Eli Janney of Girls Against Boys. His influences can be heard all over Motion City’s sound so it was inevitable that they would team up in some way.While the band has had success with a familiar formula in the past, they’ve also branched out on this album. “The Conversation” is a plaintive piano ballad that’s stripped down, piano and vocals mix sounds more like Ben Folds Five than Weezer.In fact there are times when the band has more success shunning its formula than following it. Lead single “Broken Heart” sounds like an inferior version of the hit from the last album “Everything Is Alright.”That’s not to say the band should shun its formula completely. Motion City haven’t lost the ability to write a great pop song. “This Is For Real” might just be the catchiest song the band has every written, and since they have released it as the second single, it could be the one to push the band all the way into the mainstream, where they could join fellow Warped Tour veterans Fall Out Boy and Gym Class Heroes at the top of the charts.Don’t be surprised to see Motion City Soundtrack making its push into the ears of mainstream pop fans before long.