PUP have never shied away from snark — their name is an acronym for Pathetic Use of Potential — but the Toronto punk quartet adds an even meaner bite to every sarcastic quip on their sophomore album, The Dream Is Over. Whereas their self-titled 2014 debut seemed on the brink of descending into madness at any given moment, the follow-up lives inside that madness, starting with unhinged opener “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will”.
In the song, PUP, who are pretty new to this whole success thing, chronicle the kind of in-fighting that tends to break up bands before they ever hit their stride. Rather than let it kill them, however, they turn their own hatred for each other into a kind of self-sustaining anthem. After a year in which frontman Stefan Babcock nearly shouted himself into oblivion (his doctor apparently told him “The dream is over” in reference to his torn-up vocal chords), it’s exactly the kind of thing PUP needs to get back on track.
The rest of the album rips pretty hard, as well, with “DVP” serving as the band’s best shout-along yet and songs like “The Coast” and “Pine Point” shedding a surprisingly confessional light on the band’s Canadian origins.
The Dream Is Over is due out May 27th on SideOneDummy. Stream the full album via NPR First Listen below.
Update — Monday, May 31st at 1:57 p.m. CT: The band has announced a lengthy world tour featuring stops throughout North America, the UK, and Australia. Find PUP’s full itinerary below. Update — Tuesday, August 2nd at 1:08 p.m. CT: More shows have been added to the schedule, including dates in Indianapolis, Columbus, Chicago, and Ottawa.
The Dream Is Over Album Artwork:
PUP 2016 Tour Dates:
08/29 – Norwich, UK @ The Owl Sanctuary
08/30 – Birmingham, UK @ The Rainbow
09/01 – Bristol, UK @ The Exchange
09/02 – Southampton, UK @ Joiners
09/04 – Manchester, UK @ Soundcontrol
09/05 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
09/06 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts
09/07 – Nottingham, UK @ Bodega
09/09 – London, UK @ The Dome
09/11 – Isle of Wight, UK @ Bestival
10/01 – Newcastle, AU @ Cambridge Hotel
10/02 – Wollongong, AU @ Yours & Owls
10/04 – Sydney, AU @ Oxford Art Factory
10/05 – Brisbane, AU @ Brightside
10/13 – Guelph, ON @ Peter Clark Hall
10/14 – Kingston, ON @ The Mansion
10/15 – Quebec City, QC @ Le Cercle
10/17 – Fredericton, NB @ The Capital
10/18 – Sackville, NB @ Thunder & Lightning
10/19 – Halifax, NS @ The Marquee Club
10/21 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclaiar
10/22 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
10/24 – Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar
10/25 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
10/26 – Athens, GA @ The Georgia
10/28 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
10/29 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar
10/30 – Gainesville, FL @ The Fest
11/02 – Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe
11/03 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement
11/04 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo
11/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
11/10 – London, ON @ Call the Office
11/12 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
11/14 – Dekalb, IL @ The House Cafe
11/15 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
11/17 – Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
11/18 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
11/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
11/21 – Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt
11/22 – Victoria, BC @ Lucky Bar
11/24 – Calgary, AB @ Commonwealth
11/25 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
11/26 – Saskatoon, SK @ Amigo’s
11/27 – Winnipeg, MB @ The Good Will
12/01 – Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
12/09 – Ottawa, ON @ Zaphod’s
12/10 – Ottawa, ON @ Zaphod’s
12/15 – Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall