PUP
Morbid Stuff

This is objectively one of the greatest albums of all time, and my personal favorite. I may be extremely cynical/depressed, but I think many of the album’s themes and rhythms can appeal to everyone. This punk pop rock quartet from Toronto has 2 prior albums, each one improving from the last and culminating in this masterpiece. Any drummers like me will be hard pressed to find more creative and complex fills than what Zack Mykula gives us here, and Stefan Babcock’s Lemongrab-like screams are unparalleled. I recommend this album to everyone. I also suggest listening to their earlier stuff and checking out their music videos (Sleep in the Heat).

Recommended: All of them!
FCC’s: 1, 8, 9
RIYL: FIDLAR, Jeff Rosenstock, Mom Jeans.

1. Morbid Stuff (2:45) ***** - Anxiety-ridden, the album title track sets the scene in terms of raw emotion, complicated drumming, and vocal harmonies. (FCC: fuck)
2. Kids (3:30) ***** - By far the most hopeful track. When the world falling apart around you no longer matters because you’ve finally found someone who recognizes that reality with you. Brief interlude at 2:07 is perfect.
3. Free At Last (2:35) ***** - PUP challenged its fans to make a cover of this prior to its release with only the lyrics and a chord chart. They received 253 submissions, all of which were completely different from the actual version and from each other. Listen to this, and all of its covers in the music video! Fast and raw with another phenomenal guitar solo.
4. See You At Your Funeral (3:40) ***** - Story of my life (I try vegan food, I take up meditation/medication)! Anyone recovering from a bad relationship will find comfort in this masochistic track.
5. Scorpion Hill (5:08) ***** - A slow, yet breakneck descent into utter despair. If you’re standing uncomfortably on the Caltrain, reference verse 2 to sob.
6. Closure (3:08) ***** - When you lose someone extremely important to you, that feeling of loss and helplessness never seems to leave you.
7. Bloody Mary, Kate and Ashley (2:44) ***** - This song is musical genius. Its polyrhythm and satanic undertones make me feel like I’m actually summoning the Olsen twins from hell. Do not listen to this while on psychedelics. Coincidentally track #666 on my GOAT playlist.
8. Sibling Rivalry (3:28) ***** - Having siblings is complicated, I should know as a middle child. You struggle and fight and love each other at the same time, and this track exemplifies that feeling like no other. Good for camping trips! (FCC: shit)
9. Full Blown Meltdown (2:33) ***** - This one made Vice’s top 100 songs of 2019 list (#22). Fast and loud as fuck, this one criticizes self-destruction and the fetishization of depression in the music industry while acknowledging the cycle of despair that feedback loop encourages. This one seems omniscient of the entire album while also delving deeper emotionally than the other tracks. (FCC: fuck, shit)
10. Bare Hands (3:35) ***** - The proverbial light weight over time is harder to cary than a lot at once. Bare hands holding onto a wire suggest that enough stress over a period of time will make you fall. Chorus is reminiscent of The Offspring’s “Self-Esteem,” but places that cycle of sexual exploitation in the larger struggle to survive.
11. City (3:52) ***** - Situational memory makes living in a place you developed depression extremely difficult to recover in. It also makes it hard to leave. Reference 2:12 for that tragic moment. Starts off quiet and ends distorted as fuck.