ALBUM REVIEW: PUP – Who Will Look After The Dogs?

‘…a brilliantly fun listen that is guaranteed to have you screaming along, but also one that carries an incredible amount of heart and vulnerability…’

It may comes as a surprise that poutine and Tim Horton’s are not the best ever Canadian exports. That title may well go to four-piece Toronto punk outfit, PUP, who now have been, under various titles, tearing up stages for fifteen years. Their debut and sophomore efforts garnered them a cult status, yet it was undoubtedly their third record, ‘Morbid Stuff’, that cemented their reputation as modern punk legends.

2022 saw the band release their fourth record, ‘THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND’, and it proved to be a divisive record; leaning in poppier and more experimental direction than ever before, it offered a combination of punk bangers and strange creative choices. There is no need for worry for those who were disappointed in this record, however, as the band’s brand new album ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs?’ sees the band hitting their stride once more with a decidedly PUP styled take on being introspective and vulnerable.

The build up to this release has already gifted listeners with multiple fantastic releases from the band, certain to go down as classic items of their catalogue. ‘Paranoid’ made for one hell of a leading single, with its driving riffs and snappy vocal delivery. The rhythmic switch-ups exude a righteous, blinding anger that forces the listener to move.

With ‘Get Dumber’, it is clear that Jeff Rosenstock and PUP are a wholly naturally pairing, playing off one another perfectly on this absolutely non-stop banger. The hard rock flair that decorates this track, with its devilish guitar riffs, works perfectly with PUP’s scrappy punk sound. It is frankly a surprise that this combination didn’t happen sooner in either project’s discographies.

At twelve tracks long, PUP have provided a surprisingly packed punk record, and thankfully many of the album’s deep cuts are just as enjoyable as the big singles. ‘No Hope’ is an explosive opening number that is everything you love about PUP; raucous gang vocals, Stefan Babcock’s acerbic lyricism, and dangerously infectious melodies are all present and accounted for.

‘Olive Garden’ sees crushing walls of noise alternate with funky, playful passages that pack buoyant bass lines, whilst ‘Concrete’ possesses a real youthful exuberance. Babcock looks back over a relationship that was completely destructive with a real bitterness to his vocal delivery, directed at both the other character and himself. Zack Mykula’s percussion is a real stand out here, especially during the subdued bridge passage

The experiments that the band conducted in expanding their sound on their previous record truly bear fruit here too, having refined the ideas they tested out. ‘Hunger For Death’ is a weird, woozy number, with a lo-fi introductory segment and a constant, swinging rhythm. On ‘Needed To Hear It’, the slower pace doesn’t see the band losing any power, delivering this anthemic number with a vicious bitterness. The tambourine jangles are a particularly nice touch.

‘Falling Outta Love’ is a shockingly beautiful number, with truly shiver inducing choruses that wash over the listener. The melodies and harmonies are wonderfully composed and layered, and whilst great harmonies have always been a hallmark of PUP’s music, this is some of their finest work to date. Furthermore, ‘Hallways’ is a perfect thematic follow-up to ‘Falling Outta Love’, and its jangly, bittersweet tones perfectly encapsulate the sentiment of this record; sometimes when living is too much for yourself, then living for others is what can get you through.

‘Shut Up’ makes for a gorgeously cathartic closing number, consisting mostly of just Babcock and the strumming of a fuzzy guitar, his plaintive vocals raw with emotion. The rousing, raucous conclusion to the track brings the entire record to a perfect, cinematic close.

‘Who Will Look After The Dogs?’ is undoubtedly a return to form for PUP. The sonic experiments they conducted on their last record have been refined and perfected, and what has been carried forwards leads to a truly refreshing PUP experience. It’s a brilliantly fun listen that is guaranteed to have you screaming along, but also one that carries an incredible amount of heart and vulnerability, with a crucial message at its core: no matter how much it may seem otherwise, there is always somebody who needs you.

RATING: 80/100 – Very Good

For Fans Of: Blink-182, Jeff Rosenstock, Quiet Company, Save Face, The Ongoing Concept

Physical copies are available to purchase here.

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // Spotify