Living in Southern California in 2014, every day you’re hearing a new punk band’s name. The resurgence is alive and in most cases, it’s kind of boring. Maybe I’m getting old or maybe the “punk” I’m hearing isn’t the punk for me. I want the energy, the sing-alongs, and the guy with the giant beard drunkenly falling into me. I want the fun. And in the words of little Veruca Salt, “I want it now!”
In the fall of 2013, The Great White North got a jump on the rest of the world. PUP’s debut self-titled full length was released and became Canada’s little secret. But thanks to Los Angeles-based punk label, SideOneDummy, the cat came roaring out of the bag. PUP’s brand of progressive party punk was unleashed onto the masses. PUP (which stands for Pathetic Use of Potential) reminds one of an amalgam of sounds. It’s kind of like trying to explain where babies come from. When the bouncy, angst-ridden sounds of Modern Baseball fall in love with the finesse and polish of Fake Problems and tries to spice it up by inviting the party vibes of Japandroids over for a ménage a trois, you get something… well… really fuckin’ awesome! Get to know more about PUP here.
The record begins just as it ends. Chaos. Beautiful chaos. But 17 seconds into album opener “Guilt Trip” and frontman Stefan Babcock is asking, “How many times have you/lied to my face?” with melodic vocals that dip into distortion at all the right times. As Babcock pleads his case above the fuzz-laced bass and feedback-laden guitars, you can’t help but yell along with a fist in the air. Soon you’ve got your arm around your friend’s shoulders singing along to the surf inspired “Mabu” and soaking in the Beach Boys-esque “oh-oh-ohhh’s”.
On “Never Try”, PUP channel the spirit of a pre-“Beverly Hills” Rivers Cuomo and question if it’s time to move forward (“Am I too old/to be camping out on my back porch?/in the suburbs, where I was born”) The raw, blistering drums flourish in an explosion of sound on “Cul-De-Sac.” The anthemic sing-alongs really stand out on “Back Against The Wall” and I feel like I’m standing one foot on a skate ramp at a warehouse show in Pomona, California singing my lungs out.
I’m as sure we’ll see the lyrics from PUP strewn across Tumblr like a 2003 AIM Away Message as I am that we’ll see it on Top 10 lists come December. PUP is the real deal. Here’s to seeing what these four Canucks will have in store for us next.
Rating: 4.5/5