By Mahnoosh Arsalan
Staff Writer
Messy guitars, breakneck drumming, nostalgia and melancholia mixed with living in the moment, Joyce Manor returns to the music scene with their latest album “I Used To Go To This Bar.”
Based in California, Joyce Manor consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Barry Johnson, guitarist Chase Knobb and bassist Matt Ebert. “I Used To Go To This Bar” also includes touring drummer Jared Shavelson. Them plus the many collaborators on this album created a memorable space in Joyce Manor’s discography.
The album starts with “I Know Where Mark Chen Lives,” a typical Joyce Manor punk rock track. Filled with shouting, isolated vocals, expeditious guitar and swift drums, this song opens up the album to bring listeners back to their fanatic roots. Following that comes “Falling Into It,” a softer yet heavy sounding ballad that begins the album’s exploration into regrouping with life and the people around us.
Joyce Manor delves into the more delicate side of their music with “All My Friends Are So Depressed,” sobering up the album within seconds. Discussing the nuances of living life stuck in a cycle, repeating familiar behaviors and descending further and further into them, this song acts as a reality check for listeners. With some somber vocals, laid back guitar and shyer drums, the album becomes personal.
“Well, Whatever It Was” serves as a breaking point for the band’s story, leading to “I Used To Go To This Bar” and “After All You Put Me Through” standing as a reflection period. After the final straw, listeners begin to ruminate on life and truly ask themselves hard hitting questions.
The band’s use of chaotic instrumentation in “Well, Whatever It Was” followed by nostalgic and contemplative guitar in the next two tracks really solidify their places in the album. This three-track run is a relatable and daunting period that makes you want to scream the lyrics.
“The Opossum” is classic Joyce Manor. Short and hyper, this song can be taken back to their most popular album “Never Hungover Again” from 2014, but with less angst and more gloom and misery. Similarly, “Well, Don’t It Seem Like You’ve Been Here Before?" has all the same elements of old Joyce Manor, but accompanied by a powerful crew of singers in the chorus. This song’s jittery drumming reminds the band of their roots and marks the end of the reflection period.
Finally, “Grey Guitar” wraps up the album and puts a bow on it. A true gift for Joyce Manor fans. “Grey Guitar” is an incredible closing statement that leaves listeners with a sense of emptiness mixed with hope. It is the band’s final act of vulnerability that forces the listeners to join them. Even tempered drums with catchy and smooth guitar, “Grey Guitar” is a meaningful conclusion.
“I Used To Go To This Bar” starts off lively and exciting. The album then goes through a melancholic and reminiscent trip, ending with a sense of understanding for our past and uncertainty for the future. The album takes listeners from not thinking too much, to slight hopelessness, then to overthinking, and finally, all the way to self-realization and hope. Joyce Manor has created a remarkable album, one that deserves love and attention.
