PUP have the passing of time on their mind. Having pounded every inch of asphalt available to them in support of their vibrant self-titled debut, the Toronto punks are back with 'The Dream Is Over' and they're that much older, wiser, bloodied and bruised.
There are a lot of frayed edges here. From the maniacal stomp of If This Tour Doesn't Kill You, I Will - no hidden meanings there - to the lonely heart of Sleeps In The Heat, this is a record that learns its lessons the hard way.
But, much as time has helped heal their touring ills, there's so much energy to every guitar line, every yelped hook and four part harmony, that it's rousing and cathartic rather than bitter and twisted.
Stefan Babcock, who was nearly forced to quit the band on doctors' advice pre-recording, hence the title, is growing up in public here. His lyrics traverse the sometimes ugly nature of life on the road and treat the idea of home as a transient thing, whether that's embodied by an empty apartment, the dredging up of an adolescent fuck up or the ghost town of Pine Point that disappears from view as the album ends.
The band, with Babcock joined by Nestor Chumak, Zack Mykula and
Steve Sladkowski, ensure that every rumination is conducted at a thunderous pace. This is a heavier record than its predecessor, one that has added weight at its low end and less concern for getting to the point quickly, and one that therefore rewards further investigation.
There's nothing here to rival Reservoir for straight-ahead immediacy, but in its place we have the giddy rush of DVP, the loud/quiet of The Coast and the fury of Old Wounds. The strength of the piece, even when swinging between extremes, is its ability to stay with you. The melodies here, once they get through, are nagging and addictive, while the desperation in Babcock's delivery forces the issue at every opportunity.
'The Dream Is Over' is a document of a band continuously on the move. It's temperamental and sometimes difficult, but it's also truly exciting and delivered like every word matters.
Pup Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon August 29 2016 - NORWICH Owl Sanctuary
Tue August 30 2016 - BIRMINGHAM Rainbow
Thu September 01 2016 - BRISTOL Exchange
Fri September 02 2016 - SOUTHAMPTON Joiners
Sun September 04 2016 - MANCHESTER Sound Control
Mon September 05 2016 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Tue September 06 2016 - GLASGOW King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
Wed September 07 2016 - NOTTINGHAM Bodega Social Club
Fri September 09 2016 - LONDON Tufnell Park Dome
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