Laughs, Tears, and Cheers: PUP’s “Morbid Stuff” Gets Fans into Their Feelings
Pup ‘Morbid Stuff’ album art
Toronto natives, PUP, released their third album Morbid Stuff on April, 5th. The album was recorded with producer Dave Schiffman, whose known for producing Weezer and The Mars Volta. Morbid Stuff manages to add a sense of humor to the darkest elements of life.
The album kicks off with the track ‘Morbid Stuff’. The lyrics speak towards overanalyzing and getting lost in obsessive thoughts. The song is centered around the theme of having anxiety towards death, but knowing it is out of one’s control.
Vocalist, Stefan Babcock, states (Via Noisey), “We’re all pretty nihilistic, pessimistic, fatalistic… whatever you want to call it. But there’s this whole element to this band and this record about taking all that negativity and trying to do what you can to make it fun, or to poke fun at your own situation. Just find some glimmer of light in the darkness.”
PUP pre-released four tracks off Morbid Stuff and they are the staples of the album. The first single released was ‘Kids’ which is complete with catchy guitar riffs and drum fills. Although the instruments seem upbeat, the lyrics discuss the struggles of depression and having to overcome the challenges that come with it. ‘Kids’ emphasizes what it feels like to be running on empty while trying to fight an internal battle. It also showcases what it feels like to finally feel emotions again after regular feelings have been lost for some time.
The second single dropped was ‘Free at Last’, which also sticks with the theme of mental health and touches base on self-medication. It focuses on a relationship with one of the individuals feeling sad and not acting themselves. The lyrics state, “Motivation, it comes and goes, keepin' expectations low. So when I let you down, I won't feel so bad. Sloppy Steffy back at it again, callin you up at 5AM. "Have you been drinking?" Well of course I have. Why the hell would I be here if I wasn't?”. Prior to the release of the single. PUP asked fans if anyone would be willing to cover the song prior to hearing it first. PUP did provide the lyrics and bass chord chart. The fans had a free-range from there.
The final two songs released prior to the album were ‘Sibling Rivalry’ and ‘Scorpion Hill’. ‘Sibling Rivalry’ stays true to PUP’s unique sound and angsty lyrics. The song surrounds wanting to help someone who isn’t willing to help themselves. The lyrics capture the feeling of being frustrated and wanting to change someone that can’t be changed. ‘Scorpion Hill’ is one of the lightest tracks instrumentally. but is ironic because it has the darkest of the lyrics. The lyrics state. “She said: I found the gun, it was buried beneath piles of clothes in the room where your son sleeps and I can’t pretend, to know how this will end”. With a slower melody at the beginning of the song, it throws the listener for a loop from the traditional tracks that PUP typically releases. However, the track is done well and sticks to who PUP is as a band.
You can listen to the full-length album on all streaming platforms now.