The seventh album from the Torrance, California-based outfit Joyce Manor continues their run of super short, catchy, chant-along anthems, with some added twists and turns in the brief proceedings. I Used To Go To This Bar clocks in under twenty minutes with nine tunes that sound primed and ready to explode at each junction.
Released on Epitaph, the band (Barry Johnson – guitar, vocals; Chase Knobbe – guitar; Matt Ebert – bass guitar) worked with the label’s president (and longtime supporter) Brett Gurewitz, who produced the record. Sonically, the album springs off Joyce Manor’s previous single (40 oz to Fresno’s “Gotta Let It Go”), pushing things to eleven for a large, arena-ready sound. Working with a few different drummers, including touring drummer Jared Shavelson, David Hidalgo, Jr. (Social Distortion), and Joey Waronker (Oasis), the trio lay into it from the opening notes.
“I Know Where Mark Chen Lives” is an excellent slice of power pop/punk that revs up with chunky riffs and an overdriven, shout-along chorus that slams in a heavy, exhilarating way. Less successfully, the band cues up the synths for the soft first part of “Falling Into It” before an arena-ready (if repetitive) climax. With the band recently playing withWeezer and revisiting their earlier career, the headbopping “Well Whatever It Was” and the emo love song title track would both fit snugly on past Joyce Manor efforts.
The group shifts its sound for the excellent, bass-driven, new wave-accented “After All You Put Me Through,” which moves from the packed mosh pits to the late-night, neon-filled dance floor with ease. Another twist is the added Americana accents on a few numbers. Behind the galloping heavy drums of “Opossum” is a warped harmonica, while “All My Friends Are So Depressed” is the most intriguing song here. It takes the group’s pop-punk foundation and colors it with both alt-country twang and The Smiths’ Manchester malaise, resulting in a unique sound that somehow works well.
The massive pop-punk returns with two closers that deal with aging and death. “Well, Don’t It Seem Like You’ve Been Here Before” feels lonely, with huge rafter-rumbling drums (and a touch more harmonica), while the album closer “Grey Guitar” hits raw, dealing with loss and moving on. The tracks’ brevity gives the lyrics a touch more mysterious vibe, yet it also leaves you wanting more from the band. On the plus side, the production throughout is loud, crisp, and clear.
Joyce Manor continues playing to their strengths with I Used To Go To This Bar, going big with microdosed strong songs that blast on by.
One Response
This review perfectly captures the energy of *I Used To Go To This Bar*. I was particularly struck by how they manage to sound both nostalgic and incredibly vital simultaneously. Does the reviewer think this album marks a significant shift in their lyrical approach, or is it a refinement of their established themes?