By this point, seven albums deep and with a back catalogue most bands could only dream of, Joyce Manor have nothing to prove. 'I Used To Go To This Bar' changes very little; in fact, it's just further evidence as to why Joyce Manor should be studied for scientific purposes. Surely no other band has ever been so prolific and so consistently excellent over a 15-year-plus period.
Lead singles 'All My Friends Are So Depressed' and 'Well, Whatever It Was' served as the perfect statement of intent, and they're destined to be firm fan favourites in the not-too-distant future. Most other songs on 'I Used To Go To This Bar' can make similar claims.
Opening salvo 'I Know Where Mark Chen Lives' (a nod to Television Personalities' 'I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives' and the reclusive Mark Chen from Joyce Manor faves Summer Vacation) and 'Falling Into It' are prime candidates; the former an off-kilter punchy pop-punk number with a naggingly infectious chorus, the latter a mid-tempo alt-pop jam that is just undeniable. They're both sides of Joyce Manor in microcosm, and in both cases, Barry Johnson and Co. absolutely nail it.
The title-track goes one better and might be one of - if not the - finest songs in the band's discography. In part, it's reminiscent of British indie-pop scamps Martha, albeit with a goofy Californian slant, rather than the Durham quartet's Northern charm.
Like all of Joyce Manor's efforts, it's a lesson in brevity. Few bands are quite so skilled at telling such wonderful stories in less than two minutes, but 'I Used To Go To This Bar' runs the gamut of emotions in double-quick time. There's no time wasted, and no filler here, just nine perfectly realised, supremely executed cuts from one of the greatest bands around. We truly are blessed.
