Harder Than It Looks

Harder Than It Looks is the sixth studio album by Canadian rock band Simple Plan, released on May 6, 2022. It is their first record in six years since Taking One for the Team (2016), their first album not on Atlantic Records, and their last album to feature any contributions by bassist David Desrosiers.

The album garnered positive reviews from critics. Harder Than It Looks spawned four singles: "The Antidote", "Ruin My Life" with Sum 41's Deryck Whibley, "Congratulations" and "Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare's Over)". To promote the record, the band toured across the United States and Southeast Asia.

Background and production
The band stated that the album will be a return to their pop-punk roots. This is the band's first album to be released since the departure of longtime bassist David Desrosiers after his sexual misconduct allegations, although the band hinted in 2018 at his involvement in the recording process via Instagram. From that moment on, vocalist Pierre Bouvier became the band's bassist again.

Singles and promotion
On November 5, 2021, Simple Plan released "The Antidote", their first single in two years. On January 5, 2022, a music video for the single was released. On February 18, the band released the album's second single "Ruin My Life", a collaboration with Sum 41's Deryck Whibley, along with an accompanying music video. On March 15, the band announced the album's May 6 release date, along with its third single "Congratulations". On April 8, the band released the album's fourth single, "Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare's Over)".

On May 6, 2022, the band announced a 31-city United States tour to promote the album, starting on May 10 at The Fillmore Detroit and finishing on August 28 at the Worcester Palladium, with Set It Off and Magnolia Park as supporting acts. On December 23, the band announced on Instagram that their doing a Southeast Asia leg of their tour for 2023, beginning on March 4 with a performance at Jakarta's Everblast Festival and ending on March 12 at Davao's SMX Convention Center. On March 20 of that year, the band was announced alongside Sum 41 as special guests on The Offspring's summer tour supporting their tenth album Let the Bad Times Roll.

In October 2023, over a year after the album's initial release, the band released a reversion of "Iconic", featuring Jax, along with a music video.

Critical reception
Tamara May of Wall of Sound gave the album high praise for its mature delivery of the band's pop punk style of "extremely catchy melodies to lyrical themes of despair and hopelessness" while also expanding the experimental pop sound from their 2008 self-titled record, saying "Harder Than It Looks really tries its hardest to incorporate the band's strengths, while also making an attempt to be their most diverse-sounding album, and they've succeeded." She concluded that: "Our favourite Canadian pop punkers have nailed this record once again by producing their most authentic selves in their 20-year tenure, and it’s sure to win over fans as much as their high school selves did." Mike DeWald of Riff Magazine wrote: "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." Tasha Brown of Distorted Sound wrote: "Shaking off the shackles of record labels, Simple Plan returns to their roots for ten tracks of arguably their best material since their 2008 self-titled effort."

Conversely, Jesper L. of Sputnikmusic felt the band were still "absolutely horrendous at incorporating elements of post-2005 pop", criticizing "Anxiety" and "Iconic" for "dreadfully repetitive choruses, painfully misplaced horns, and not a single hint of energy or authenticity." He backhandedly commended the album's "monotony of vaguely competent pop rock" for showcasing the band's "autopilot" musicianship of "overly simplistic yet catchy riffs, big-capital-b choruses, and some of the whiniest vocals" on "Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare's Over)", "Million Pictures of You" and "The Antidote". He concluded that: "There's nothing to the album outside of this; there's no element to draw in new listeners or keep the old ones coming back. It just kind of exists. Simple Plan just kind of exist, but then again, so do I."

Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's booklet.

Simple Plan
 * Pierre Bouvier – lead vocals, piano on "Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare's Over)", additional programming, keyboards
 * Chuck Comeau – drums
 * Sébastien Lefebvre – rhythm guitars, backing vocals
 * Jeff Stinco – lead guitar

Additional musicians
 * Deryck Whibley - guest vocals (track 2)
 * David Desrosiers - bass guitar (2019)

Production
 * Pierre Bouvier - producer
 * Brian Howes - producer
 * Zakk Cervini – producer, mixing
 * Chris Lord-Alge – mixing (track 10)
 * Jason "JVP" Van Poederooyen – producer, mixing (track 6), engineering
 * Ted Jensen – mastering

Design
 * Chapman Baehler – album photography
 * Simple Plan – art direction and concept
 * Fred Jérôme – art direction and concept, layout design