West Coast emo punks
Joyce Manor return with album number five, a wide-ranging affair that further expands on the more streamlined maturation of its 2016 predecessor,
Cody. Like that album,
Million Dollars to Kill Me spends less time revisiting youthful passions and instead continues to explore the more grown-up side of emo and pop-punk. While that may seem like a drag to fans of their more explosive and arguably weirder early days, good bands know that they need to evolve, and in
Joyce Manor's case they've opted to sharpen their chops and aim for a more muscular pop sound. Working with
Converge guitarist
Kurt Ballou at his Massachusetts studio, the California quintet move past some of their growing pains to turn in a thoughtful and overall solid set. Their hallmark brevity remains intact, with the catchy
Weezer-esque "Think I'm Still in Love with You" being the only track to exceed the two-and-a-half-minute mark. Opener "Fighting Kangaroo" packs a robust sonic wallop and a rousing chorus, while mid-album standout "Silly Games" pairs an almost mechanical crunch with a pleasingly sweet glockenspiel and piano-ornamented arrangement. The closing track, "Wildflowers," is another highlight, showing frontman Barry Johnson's lighter side and veering more toward the wistful power pop of
Teenage Fanclub than anything in the emo-related realm. It's notable that "Wildflowers" and the two aforementioned tracks -- as well as the similarly melodic "Friends We Met Online" -- were all co-written with
Rory Allen Phillips (
the Impossibles, the Artificial Heart), who also acted as producer on that final cut, suggesting that his influence on this album exceeds even
Ballou's.
Joyce Manor may still be finding their footing in this more mainstream rock field, but there's a lot to like on
Million Dollars to Kill Me, indicating that they're moving in the right direction. ~ Timothy Monger