“Never Hungover Again” is more than an album title, it’s a statement of maturity. Joyce Manor, a relatively young band with a very youthful fan base, has done the thing that many of their fans have feared: they have grown up.
Nevertheless, the fears of the pop punk band abandoning its short, simultaneously happy and sad songs for radio-friendly pop have been unfounded. Joyce Manor manages to mature and still stay true to their roots.
First off, the length of the album is short, incredibly short. Clocking in below 20 minutes, it stays true to the rest of their releases, with short songs usually falling short of the two-minute mark. This is no surprise to fans of the band, who have come to expect catchy, loud and emotional songs without choruses from the band. Needless to say, “Never Hungover Again” doesn’t deviate from the formula that made Joyce Manor successful, but it does experiment a bit.
Songs like “Christmas Card” and “End of the Summer” sound more like the emo pop sound that pervades modern rock radio, but that isn’t a bad thing. Joyce Manor are well known in the underground punk scene, but in the bigger pond of alternative rock they haven’t made a big impression yet. The sound on these tracks is completely organic, not forced or cheap, and it still carries the distinctive Joyce Manor sound – a bipolar mix of sad and cheery elements thrown together throughout.
Older fans of Joyce Manor still have plenty to enjoy in the album. Whiffs of the self-titled album are evident throughout, particularly in songs like “Heart Tattoo” and “Victoria” where a more bass guitar driven sound stands up to the scrutiny of even the most cold-hearted punk purist.
Overall, the only thing that “Never Hungover Again” is missing is the raucous sing-alongs of the self-titled album. It’s a shame that there were no points on the album that tempted you to shout the lyrics alongside the track, which was a huge part of the appeal of almost every other Joyce Manor release. It may simply be the fact that the release is still fresh, and the songs haven’t had a chance to sink in yet, but there were few tracks on the album that sounded like instant classics.
Of course, these are lofty expectations, but Joyce Manor have earned them. While “Never Hungover Again” may not be cut from the same cloth as the self titled album, it is still a solid album, and it is easily one of the best punk releases of 2014.
It remains to be seen whether it will have the same impact as the rest of their discography, but it’s clear that this album will reach out to a whole new audience. With singles like “Schley” and “Catalina Fight Song” getting airplay on KROQ, it’s clear that this album isn’t trying to be another underground magnum opus. This release marks an introduction to those outside of the punk scene. In that regard, it’s one amazing first impression.
The band is scheduled to play a free show at Amoeba Music in Hollywood on Thursday at 6 p.m. to celebrate the new album release. They will also headline an official release show at El Rey Theatre on Friday night, which is sure to have the crowd moving.