Pup - This Place Sucks Ass

PUP’s pandemic era EP following their album “Morbid Stuff” which shares many of the same themes of self-destruction, isolation and overall mania. But this time they have a pretty decent reason to be whiney as did most of us at the time. Although most of these songs were outtakes from Morbid Stuff written pre-pandemic, the record resonated as the world was over half a year into lockdown. Like the track “Anaphylaxis” which is about paranoia and anxiety making you feel like you are literally going to die. I don’t know about you but I had thoughts like this when the strange new disease was spreading through my community (Like, "Am I gonna die?" / "Am I already dead?" / I keep feeling sick / And it never seems to end). The EP also features an excellent cover of “A.M. 180” by Grandaddy which in hindsight is such a perfect song for PUP with its scuzzy ‘90s guitar riffs and detached lyricism.

Why does any band start a band? Fame? Ha! Money? Double Ha! I’d hedge my bets that nine out of ten times, a band starts a band to simply feel a tiny semblance of meaning and hope in this world. Why else would DIY Toronto punks set out to play 250 dates across the continent in a year? PUP proudly wears their fatalistic, nihilistic, pessimistic attitude on their collective sleeve. They see where the world is headed and are fully embracing its demise. All the while, they are sharing their misery with a surprisingly large amount of people who feel the same way. It’s a testament to their songwriting and lyricism that so many can find their melancholic songs as a source of connection and healing. As the acronym stands for “pathetic use of potential,” perhaps starting a band is a mistake but maybe it’s the only thing that keeps them alive.

Tracklist:

1. Rot
2. Anaphylaxis
3. A.M. 180
4. Nothing Changes
5. Floodgates
6. Edmonton