Who Will Look After The Dogs?

トロントのオルタナティブロックPUPがニュー・アルバムを引っ提げカムバック

Jimmy Eat Worldのサポートとしてイギリス/ヨーロッパ公演、そしてSum 41のサポートとしてカナダのアリーナ公演を終えたばかりのPUPは、これまでで最も強力なアルバムを届ける。
シングル「Paranoid」「Hallways」「Get Dumber」を収録した本作は、バンドが12曲の素晴らしいトラックで、かつクラシックなアンセミックでありながらも生々しいサウンドを披露している。

The breakup album is a hallowed tradition in popular music; when so many songs are inspired by love, having a romance go down the drain is likely to have a similar effect on someones muse. In the wake of PUPs 2022s LP The Unraveling of Puptheband, while guitarist Steve Sladowski got married, bassist Nestor Chumak became a first-time father, and drummer Zack Mykula bought a house that gave him room for a bigger and better home studio, lead singer and principal songwriter Stefan Babcock went through a very difficult breakup. Alone and with lots of time on his hands, Babcock wrote songs at a furious pace, most reflecting his less-than-positive mood, and 2025s Who Will Look After the Dogs? is a memorably loud, noisy, and emotional song cycle about relationships and their failings. Babcock is not always charitable to his ex in these tunes, though "Hunger for Death"s "F*ck everyone on this planet, except for you" is a curious but genuine expression of endearment, and "I wouldnt fall for a guy like me either/Trust me, I get it" in "No Hope" confirms hes not any more forgiving to himself. Babcock has plenty of anger to go around on this album, and whether its aimed at himself or those around him, hes more than willing to vent, and sometimes the vehemence of his vocals feels less like performance and more like some sort of therapy. Plenty of punk bands turn up their rage for effect, but the fierce sincerity of Babcocks rage and pain is something out of the ordinary; it ups the ante for the rest of the group, who are more than willing to deliver a similar share of noisy fury. PUP hit hard on Who Will Look After the Dogs?, and Babcock and Sladowski push their amps into the red with vigor and frequency, while Chumak and Mykula hold down the rhythms with a thunderous wallop and a respect for the importance of the low end. Babcock sounds angry, confused, and desperate for answers he knows wont come easy on Who Will Look After the Dogs?, and his lyrics are paired with music thats a perfect match for his bad mood, even when the melodies reveal hooks beneath the feedback. Producer John Congleton captures it all with commendable accuracy, sounding clean and vibrant, documenting the purposeful racket without adding more than is necessary. PUP have made albums a lot more fun than this, but for sheer impact and focus, this feels like their best work to date, even if the recently dumped might find it a bit too relatable for comfort. ~ Mark Deming

ジミー・イート・ワールドやサム41のサポートも務めたトロント発の4人組による5作目。オルタナ、パンク、パワー・ポップを軸に、ザラザラした生硬な演奏と妙に人懐こいメロディーの融合に耳を持っていかれる。ウィーザーに通じる普遍性を帯びた楽曲もポイントが高い。ジェフ・ローゼンストックを迎えたアッパーな"Get Dumber"を含め、心の澱を雲散してくれる好盤。
bounce (C)荒金良介