Review Summary: “Wrote my song down. Gave it to the guy. Then went to grab another beer.”
Joyce Manor has always been one of those bands that can’t really do wrong. Even their weakest album, “Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired” is just simply underwhelming more than it reflects any dilapidation from their self-titled release. Joyce Manor took that album as a lesson and created “Never Hung Over Again” that was a return to something more on par with what we know this band can be with a more polished sound (describing the sound not, necessarily the quality). So what was there to expect with “Cody”? The release of “Fake I.D” and “Last You Heard of Me” prompted decently high expectations that “Cody” would grow off of “Never Hung Over Again.” It certainly did. At the same time, “Cody” is so much different than anything they’ve done. The constants with this band that remain continually consistent through all of their albums are the lyrical strength provided by Barry Johnson, their ability to write impressive hooks, and the sheer relatability that the audience find when listening.
The album kicks itself off with “Fake I.D.” sets the tone really well for what this album is going to be. It is fun. It is catchy. And then it gets real. You can’t help but sing along about Kayne and Bartman but at the same time you can’t help but feel a little sad when the band provides raw narratives that could easily be construed as lazy lyric writing but shows us that Joyce Manor is just a group of people like anyone else. His friend Brandon died. He is sad. “Last You Heard of Me,” which was the other song release before the album release, has that non-standard song structure that is throughout Joyce Manor’s discography. Songs like this are really engaging because it is almost a conversation Joyce Manor is having with you. There is no chorus or predetermined flow. They are just talking and saying what they need to say.
The first half of this album is absolute fire with tracks like “Angel in the Snow.” This track is another example of catchy, real, and ‘Fun’. Musically, this is one of the most diverse songs Joyce Manor has ever written. The band’s new-ish drummer, Jeff Eznor, on his first release drops a really fun beat on this track that is directly in line with what should be played behind this music. The test of a new drummer is being able to play with the band’s style and not over or underplay the songs being written. This is done quite well here. The trumpet is such a nice touch and adds that extra element showing that even though this band is, well… concise, it has a dynamic feature showcasing that they don’t limit themselves to the formula of a pop-punk / indie-punk band. Also how can we forget the ‘Fun.’ part of this song? Nate Ruess from the band Fun. has harmonies with Barry on this track and its absolutely incredible. The two voices complement each other really well.
The immediately preceding track is “Eighteen,” is in there effectively rubbing off the college punk distinction given to Joyce Manor in the pat. This track shows how this band is maturing as they get older and how they really are not fond of growing up even though it has been accepted as inevitable. “Just find something to do and then do it.” “Do You Really Want to Not Get Better?” is another example of the maturity Joyce Manor has gone through since their last album. It is new, different, powerful, and raw in a different way from how Joyce Manor is typically described as raw. It is just so much emotion crammed into 76 seconds. The album ends with “This Song Is A Mess But So Am I.” This song summarizes so many of the more somber concepts within “Cody.” It wraps up nicely that Joyce Manor is transitioning. They are trying their best. They might not always be at their best, or really just confident in themselves, but they are going to keep doing what they do and own it. "This Song Is A Mess But So Am I."
As previously touched on, the tone of this album is certainly different than their previous releases and it is worth mentioning that a huge reason for this is most likely a combination of Joyce Manor maturing as artists, but also the presence of producer Rob Schnapf, best known for his work with the late, great, Elliott Smith. That pretty much explains itself, and if it doesn’t… go listen to “Either/Or” then listen to “Do You Really Want to Not Get Better?”. 2016 has been a hell of a year for music that I’m not sure we will see again for a while. Joyce Manor hits us with “Cody” and it deserves to be in the conversation with the albums that will prove to define the year.
