not sure joie de vivre is at all the term for any of these songs, but Needed to Hear It is an easy highlight yeah

good point, i guess i meant more musically/sonically than lyrically/thematical, 'cos everything here is pretty fucking dour from that standpoint lol.

when that chorus and those group vocals rain down, reminds me of the joy i had first listening to shit like 'Kids' and 'Bloody Mary' on MORBID STUFF. (i also seem to keep forgetting that album was released SIX years ago now, before the pandemic even wtf.)

Album Rating: 3.5

Album is far from their best but Get Dumber and Hallways have grown to become some of my all time favourite songs from these guys.

Album Rating: 3.0

Jeff Rosenstock for sure but Jeff Rosenstock is Jeff Rosenstock my guy is the guy



Two tracks in and this is

Album Rating: 3.0

Oh shit wait Jeff is actually on this as a feature lol one sec

Album Rating: 3.0

Oh my

Album Rating: 3.0

Ends well

Album Rating: 3.5

Falling Outta Love have grown on me immensely, I hope they explore this direction in the future

Album Rating: 4.0

It's a grower, keep coming back to it

Album Rating: 3.5

Yes, this certainly growing on me. Way better than the last album and I can see this becoming a 4 soon. I've also only just noticed that the opening riff to Shut Up sounds exactly like something Built To Spill would write.

man i just can't with the production of this and their last album. I think their songwriting benefits from a cleaner/more 'polished' production style a la their first two albums.

ngl pitchfork review kinda nails this
bit optimistic and strange to see it dunk on Paranoid, but defs puts its finger on why this is a refreshing album within PUP's discog and aging pop punk generally — this part made me chuckle:

But from the jump, PUP swapped pop-punk’s key traits of angst and apathy for depression and deep concern. It’s what gave the Toronto stalwarts an edge of maturity over their peers, even if they hid it by crushing beer cans and pledging allegiance to perpetual heartbreak.
That perspective is rare within the genre, which rewards staying young at heart forever onstage. But eventually, performers stop recognizing the stickers on the green room’s scratched-up mirror and start noticing their crow’s feet instead. It’s a game of musical cryogenics where contestants like the Wonder Years still have to yell, “Jesus Christ, I’m 26!” at age 39, or the Menzingers are still rhetorically asking what comes after your 20s as they stare down their 40s. Addressing the insecurities of aging without souring a melody is tricky, particularly when fans crave heart-pounding, carefree shout-alongs. Learning how to mature alongside your work, though, is what separates the middle-age deniers from the mindful adults. On Who Will Look After the Dogs?, PUP has filled out an application form to join the latter demographic.

Album Rating: 3.5

That Wonder Years line, lmao.

Album Rating: 4.5

"I've also only just noticed that the opening riff to Shut Up sounds exactly like something Built To Spill would write."



Totally. I saw Stefan at a Built to Spill show in Toronto once too, years back. Still jamming this regularly, favourites changing all the time.

Album Rating: 3.5

the best revenge is living well/i've been living like shit

Someone reminded me that this band wrote “Full Blown Meltdown” the other day, and I was like damn. I had forgotten. Why the fuck don’t they release an album of songs like that?

“ the best revenge is living well/i've been living like shit”

Favorite line on the album lol

@deathschool I jammed that the other day and was blown away by it. I feel like I didn’t fully appreciate how awesome it is back in the day

Album Rating: 4.0

Hallways and Shut Up give me Weakerthans vibes, great tunes

Album Rating: 4.0

Once I got past the first two tracks and the production I've ended up really enjoying this. Shut Up is my go-to tune here, agreed - so good!

Album Rating: 4.0

the first two tracks are indeed pretty weak. odd picks for starters. I probably would've picked Hunger for Death to start this with but eh...