Video: PUP, ‘If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will’

Jessica Shalvoy on June 2nd, 2016

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The next time that annoying friend preaches the “punk is dead” mantra, give them a PUP album. The Toronto quartet’s boisterous 2014 self-titled debut was met with critical success and a massive tour. Now PUP have released their sophomore album, “The Dream Is Over” (via SideOneDummy) – the title quoting what a doctor told singer-guitarist Stefan Babcock’s after discovering his hemorrhaging vocal chords. The sophomore effort has PUP thrusting a giant middle finger in the air at the thought of a sophomore slump and, according to Babcock, acts as “a shotty reminder that shit happens and expectations change but we’re still doing what we wanna do. This is life. This is the f**king dream.”

“The Dream Is Over” is a rousing 31 minutes of PUP doing what PUP does best: mixing punk aggression and sing-a-longs with melodic pop hooks, relatability and self-deprecation. The album kicks off with the murderous “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will,” a reflection of playing more than 400 shows in two years. Don’t worry though, the childhood friends still love each other despite the lyrics — “If this tour doesn’t kill you, then I will / I hate your guts and it makes me ill, seeing your face every morning.” The albums other two singles, “DVP” and “Doubts,” are just as rambunctious and shed light on why they’ve garnered such a reputation for their live shows. All three singles demand participation with one fist in the air, while the videos for “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will” and “DVP” show off their nerdy charm and tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. Be warned: the urge to act out violent fantasies might be overwhelming; stay away from coworkers, the aforementioned “friend,” and any/all bandmates.

||| Watch: “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will”