Surely by now, you’ve heard their name. Joyce Manor have been writing soundtracks for heartbreaks and hangovers for nearly two decades now. They create short songs with their hearts on their sleeves, while sticking to that distinct Southern California mix of self-deprecation and sincerity. From the lo-fi charm of their 2011 debut to Never Hungover Again’s cult-classic status and the bittersweet maturity of 40 oz. to Fresno, the Torrance, California trio have learned how to say so much in two minutes flat.
Their new record, I Used To Go To This Bar, is both a victory lap and a last call. It’s nine tracks of nostalgic panic attacks set to be released through Epitaph Records. There are equal parts bar-stool therapy and punk-rock poetry. Produced by Brett Gurewitz (guitarist of Bad Religion, it feels polished but not pretty. With this release, the band is tapping into a lineage that Brett helped shape. Having him behind the boards suggests this won’t just be a glossy punk record. It might carry some of the sharp punk edges he’s been known to preserve. The songs still tumble out like they were written on old show flyers, but now the flyers have wrinkles from age and experience.
The lead single from the album, “Well, Whatever It Was” is pure Joyce Manor. Hooks sharp enough to draw blood, melody you can yell with your friends, and the kind of lyrics that hurt a little more the second time you hear them. The second single, “All My Friends Are So Depressed” burns like a text you shouldn’t have opened. However, my top two favorite tracks on this album are the upbeat tracks “Well, Don’t It Seem Like You’ve Been Here Before?” and “The Oppossum”. These tracks just make me want to dance and sing-a-long in a parking lot with friends.
What makes this album hit hardest isn’t reinvention but recognition. Joyce Manor knows exactly who they are, and this album feels like a throwback in ways. They are the band that made you feel seen years ago and still punches you in the chest today. There’s humor here too in these lyrics which make the songs fun. The riffs still sprint, the choruses still lift, and Barry Johnson still sounds like he’s trying to beat the clock before his heart gives out.
I Used To Go To This Bar is Joyce Manor aging in real time. They’ve gotten louder, wiser, but are still aching. It’s the sound of growing up without giving up. If you’ve ever loved, lost, or lingered too long at last call, you already know every word. Joyce Manor keeps it short, sad, and sharp. It feels like old friends you can’t quite stop missing.
