Towards the end of it, he asks: вЂњCould it be that the roomвЂ™s empty and IвЂ™m just tearing out my heart for the sound guy?вЂќ The possibility of fading into obscurity is on his mind. ThereвЂ™s the disillusionment of вЂњYouвЂ™re Not Famous Anymore,вЂќ while a similar world-weariness shows up in вЂњGotta Let It GoвЂќ-the thing that must be let go of alternates between a relationship and the narratorвЂ™s own youth.Д«ut thereвЂ™s a little bit of lopsided optimism in вЂњDance With Me.вЂќ Johnson addresses the rag-tag crowd that Joyce Manor make music for-вЂњYouвЂ™ve never been an addict, youвЂ™ve just got a little habit that you couldnвЂ™t cope withoutвЂќ-culminating in a kind of fuck-it theme song. But thereвЂ™s also a new streak to the subject matter that betrays the fact Johnson is in his mid-30s now. вЂњItвЂ™s not a confession if I was just messing,вЂќ he asserts on вЂњGotta Let It Go.вЂќ On вЂњNBTSA,вЂќ he wants to confess a secret, then a line later spits: вЂњI donвЂ™t know why I want you to know.вЂќ Many of the experiences he narrates are lit with the glow of reckless youth-falling in love in a park, fucking in the back seat of a car.

The narrator is always reaching for connection, then waving it away like a stubborn kid. He plays the role of someone who would be romantic if he wasnвЂ™t so misanthropic-or the other way around. JohnsonвЂ™s witty and sardonic songwriting is mostly the same as ever. But the songs are studiously, almost mathematically propellant, creating a rush of exhilaration that feels equally earned. The album is over before you really know itвЂ™s begun, and it isnвЂ™t cohesive or groundbreaking enough for that to feel as satisfying as on previous albums. Its weighty production works beautifully to prop up the fired-up-but-nowhere-to-go vibe of the song.

Meanwhile, lead single вЂњGotta Let It GoвЂќ tries something they havenвЂ™t really done before: sounding absolutely enormous. вЂњDance With MeвЂќ and вЂњDonвЂ™t TryвЂќ feature two of their catchiest choruses ever the former jangly and Pixies-esque, and the latter a driving outburst of pop-punk. That gives them the freedom to focus less on the big picture and zero in on the songs. TheyвЂ™ve figured out the outer limits of Joyce Manor now itвЂ™s about perfecting whatвЂ™s within them. to FresnoвЂ™s readiest comparison point is simply Joyce Manor itself.

While 2016вЂ™s Cody embraced glossy вЂ™90s alt-rock, and 2018вЂ™s Million Dollars To Kill Me let them jump ship into вЂ™80s power-pop, 40 oz. to Fresno is less consciously ambitious than the bandвЂ™s last two albums. The reward is lower stakes, releasing their music to a plateau of long-time fans rather than expecting too many new ones. TheyвЂ™ve achieved a cult longevity unlike some of the bands they once shared bills with. Joyce Manor are decidedly still indie famous, as far as indie punk bands go they recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their debut album with two nights at the sizable Hollywood Palladium.

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