PUP - 'Who Will Look After The Dogs?' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. No Hope

2. Olive Garden

3. Concrete

4. Get Dumber

5. Hunger For Death

6. Needed To Hear It

7. Paranoid

8. Falling Outta Love

9. Hallways

10. Cruel

11. Best Revenge

12. Shut Up

Canadian Punk Rockers Pup are back with the new album, 'Who Will Look After The Dogs?', which is out on the 2nd of May, they are also touring the UK in support of it over the course of May playing a variety of cities and some brilliant venues, have a look, I’m sure they are near you and they are well worth seeing!

The joy of Pup, for me, has always been their live performances, the energy, the sheer exuberance, the joy they exhibit on stage about what they are doing but I’ve never felt their records quite reflect that, don’t get me wrong, they’ve released some great records but I have never felt they lived up to the live show. That, of course, is an issue that has plagued a lot of bands over the year and stopped some being as successful as they could be.

Well, that’s all changed, this album, produced by John Congleton, has somehow, don’t ask me how, helped the band translate what they do live into this album which will be released on Rise Records. It’s full of life, full of energy, full of the joy of punk rock. There are a number of standout songs. My own personal highlights? 'Will Get Dumber', 'Needed To Hear It', 'Paranoid', 'Hallways', 'Best Revenge' and 'Shut Up', with 'Needed To Hear It' just edging it over 'Best Revenge', as my favourite song on the album.

What I think has worked well in recording this set of songs is that it’s not been over produced, Pup have been allowed to be themselves, to fully express what they get across on stage in a way that translates well into a sledgehammer blow of an album that punches you in the gut, slams your head on the table then, when you’re reeling gives you some comfort before quite quickly ripping it away again and kicking you somewhere you don’t want to be kicked!

Don’t get me wrong, this is excellent stuff, there isn’t a weak song on the album, there isn’t a moment when you think I don’t want to listen to this any more, there isn’t anything that doesn’t work, it’s punk rock perfection, it’s the album that should propel Pup into the big leagues, if it gets picked up by a major radio station then it could see the start of a stratospheric rise.

This album is going to be excellent live, as I said above Pup are touring the UK next month, if you can get a ticket and get to a gig you really should, if I’m right you won’t get to see them in some of the venues they are playing again as they should outgrow them once this album takes off.

Pup just found a way to make their records as good as their live shows, it’s a hard thing to do but they’ve done it, so go listen to it, buy it, download it, whatever your preference is, this is potentially the punk rock album of the year and it’s only April!

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Review - Iain McClay