Take a step back 20 years in time. It’s the 1996 Vans Warped Tour in it’s infancy, and only continuing to grow. However, the energy in the crowd is different. A tour that is yet to be taken over by fervent pop-punkers in the coming millennium is experiencing punk rock’s Golden Age. A blend of aggression and harmony takes the form of Blink 182, NOFX, The Bouncing Souls, The Casualties, Bad Religion and countless other rebel icons. Thick power chords underneath gorgeous ooh’s and ahh’s keep you swaying as you sport your jean jacket with that rad Ramones backpatch.
Now fast forward 20 years and look at modern punks, diffused into a multitude of genres, this type of beautiful aggression takes on many forms. Yet PUP, the crusty Canadians up North are inspiring a renaissance of punk and making it great again.
Pissed and bitter, The Dream Is Over is a unapologetic punk anthem. A testament to the Generation Y of punk, PUP delivers a harmonic, aggressive 11 track album that stays true to these northerners.
Right out of the gate, PUP goes full force, channeling that aggression on someone who clearly doesn’t understand tour etiquette. The group also plays true to it’s ability to groove, as the band gets slow and dirty on their track “The Coast.” The band draws similarities to their self-titled record, as their sophomore LP is the evolution and growth of the band’s sound & energy.
The Dream Is Over sucker-punches the sophomore slump in the gut, PUP has once again delivered an impressive record which will fuel their ride to the top of the industry.
Overall Rating: 4/5 Stars
Recommended Tracks: “The Coasts” & “DVP”
