PUP - The Dream is Over review

PUP were originally named Topanga, a reference to the main female character in Boy Meets World, however this was changed when the band learned of the reboot to the franchise and The Dream Is Over is as far from Disney as it gets. PUP are another band that belong to an amalgamation of genres rising in popularity, blurring the lines between emo, skate punk and indie rock. This second album’s title was born from a visit to the doctor following Stefan Babcock shredding his vocal chords when he was told, “the dream is over” and a defeatist attitude is the main theme of the LP with lyrics such as “She says that I drink too much / Fucked up cause she hates my guts” and “Every time when I back to my apartment / All I wanna do is get stoned”, this theme being more than apparent towards the end of the album with Can’t Win centring around apathy, giving up and missed chances.

DVP one of the first singles released from this album focuses on a broken relationship from the boyfriend’s viewpoint as he’s drunk and trying to reconcile with his girlfriend, he is seen as immature and that his drinking is causing problems. The track is wildly fast-paced, hurtling into a breakdown, reflecting the lyrical theme and the accompanying lyric video pokes at the immaturity theme using retro video games to tell the story. This album is the epitome of the modern pop-leaning punk genres, encapsulating emotionally heavy themes, self-deprecating lyrics and power chords in raw form.