“We’re at the crest of the shit-wave, baby.”
By now, the motivation behind PUP’s music is crystal clear – punk rock that directs its anger, mostly, inwards. Since their debut record back in 2013, they’ve max out on self-deprecation and criticism, somehow both wallowing and relishing in the process; we’re all beautiful fuck-ups, but that does mean we’re fuck-ups. From The Dream Is Over onwards, their sound was truly locked in. On Morbid Stuff even more self-awareness crept in as they owned up to their pessimism, producing their most introspective material in the process. Besides a few goofy production ideas and potshots at being a ‘punk’ band, THE UNRAVELING OF PUP THE BAND was quality business as usual, leading us to 2025 without a single mis-step. Who Will Look After The Dogs? comes after a pivotally long studio pause for the band, so it’s now an all important moment for their discography.
Who Will Look After The Dogs? takes a moment to find its balance, as “No Hope” and “Olive Garden” launch the album into two speedy punk bleeders. “No Hope” is a solid start, straight into fuzzed out fury, but fumbles what might have been a promising transition into “Olive Garden”. Juxtaposing an ultra-fuzzy and discordant verse against a silly in-joke chorus, you’re just left scratching your head as to whether this is irony or product placement. It’s nigh on impossible to repeat the greatness of their previous record’s overtures, but even so the comparison is not favourable.
Whilst there will be some debate about these openers, from “Concrete” onwards we return to PUP’s flawless punk sing-alongs. With much more urgency and emotion in its riffs, “Concrete” is a powerful about-face that will get under your skin (“It’s funny how you come around when you’re out of options / But I just don’t give a shit about your problems”). The other ultra-bangers waiting to be hurled back at the band in every venue are “Needed To Hear It” and “Best Revenge”. An essential element is the awkwardness within the refrains – “Best Revenge” has a non-trivial gang vocal (“The best revenge is living loud / I’ve been living like shit, I’ve been rolling in the deep”) which is more likely to be mumbled back due to the challenge of recalling its lyrics. PUP remain one of the few bastions of worthwhile choruses that won’t make you roll your eyes.
Even as we observe a renaissance in hardcore punk, PUP remain in their own lane when it comes to their most aggressive tracks. Live renditions of classics like “Full Blown Meltdown” and “Old Wounds” involve Stevan Babcock dropping from rhythm guitar duties to become a roaming vocalist, while Steve Sladkowski cranks it and the IQ of the room lowers. There are only a few ‘PUPcore’ candidate tracks on this new album. “Get Dumber” is aptly named and loud enough, though the recording suggests two axes are needed. It features a wet dream of a feature in the form of Jeff Rosenstock, locking it into PUP’s set-list for their upcoming US tour. An aside – it’s got the worst music video I’ve ever seen. “Paranoid”, the debut single and more of a hybrid track which gets pivotally angry for its finale. An aside – it’s got the best music video I’ve ever seen.
As open as the lyrics of PUP are, they have remained non-specific about the exact nature of the strife behind Who Will Look After The Dogs?. Babcock has explained that, as soon as THE UNRAVELING… released, some aspect of his life fell apart in a split second. The new record was written as a response to this. Whether it’s a break-up, the passing of a family member, or a scientific breakthrough in measuring exactly how much of a screw-up he thinks he is, what we do know is that the humour and finger pointing is all part of coping. The most lyrically cutting track is “Hallways” where the record’s title is dropped and Babcock searches for a shred of sense amid sudden loss (“And when you finally let go and you told me that you wished I didn’t exist, but karma’s rich, isn’t it?”).
Perhaps a response to the tumult in the background of PUP’s personal lives, producer John Congleton has emphasised the gnarly aspects of their sound. It’s perhaps an over-reaction to the perception of their glossy style on THE UNRAVELING…, and this move does lose a little of the band’s nuance at times. The crafty ideas come through in the quiet moments – “Concrete”’s idyllic bridge, the swing passages of “Hunger For Death”, and the harmonica shuffle of “Falling Outta Love” are unique in PUP’s discography.
“Shut Up” is a rare moment PUP, a morose break-up song – nothing new there, but when the rhythm section takes a break to isolate a solid strum and Babcock’s vocals (“You’ve got your master’s thesis, I’ve got my stupid little songs”). All of PUP’s album closers are there to leave you sore, and “Shut Up” is no exception with its abrupt ending, as all the blame that is thrown elsewhere washes up on our own shores. Accepting that it’s the first ever back-loaded PUP album in history, Who Will Look After The Dogs? is an excellent addition to their catalogue, heaving with variety and fantastic songs. They once again provide the most fun way to self-loathe.
8/10
Who Will Look After The Dogs? drops on the 5th May via Rise Records and can be pre-ordered here.
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