Never Hungover Again
Nineteen minutes can hold a surprising amount of indecision. Never Hungover Again races through ten songs, but Joyce Manor keep finding different ways to make a small encounter feel complicated. Barry Johnson sounds affectionate, doubtful and irritated, sometimes within the same phrase. The music gives those changes enough space to register without slowing the record down.
“Falling in Love Again” is the most inviting example. The guitars have a bright, ringing quality, and the melody suggests a clear romantic feeling before the words start questioning it. Johnson's conversational delivery keeps the uncertainty close to everyday speech. The band makes a strong hook out of a situation that refuses to resolve cleanly.
“Schley” takes a less direct route. Its relatively spare beginning gathers force, and the odd guitar turn helps give a short song the feeling of several connected events. “End of the Summer” also shows how important the bass is here. It remains audible and active, keeping the arrangement from becoming only a frame for Johnson's voice. For such brief songs, there is a lot happening below the most obvious melody.
“Heart Tattoo” is more straightforward and benefits from that contrast. Its upbeat drive makes the mix of affection and pain feel immediate. The closer, “Heated Swimming Pool,” pulls back into a softer, jangling shape. The sequence moves between those approaches with very little explanation, trusting each song to establish its own mood quickly.
The brevity occasionally leaves an idea feeling unfinished, and some tracks are easier to appreciate as parts of the whole than as individual favorites. Yet extending them would probably weaken their character. Joyce Manor are very good at knowing when one more chorus would explain too much. Never Hungover Again finds variety through small changes in tone, texture and perspective. Its modest scale is a strength: ordinary feelings become interesting because the band pays close attention and then knows when to stop.
