Joyce Manor - Sold Out

Joyce Manor is a band who have never relied on gimmicks. Since forming in Torrance,California, in 2008, the band—vocalist/guitarist Barry Johnson, bassist Matt Ebert andguitarist Chase Knobbe—have built-up a feverish fanbase by writing catchy, pop-punk songsthat seem straight-forward on the surface but teeming with carefully crafted nuances uponmultiple listens. This is undoubtedly true of the band’s sixth studio album 40 oz. To Fresno,an album that has songs that span the last eight years, yet comes together to form a cohesivealbum that marks the next chapter of Joyce Manor. “This is an interesting record because thefinal track ‘Secret Sisters’ was actually a B-side from [2014’s] Never Hungover Again and‘NBTSA’ is actually a reworked version of ‘Secret Sisters’ that barely even resembles theoriginal song,” Johnson explains. Although Joyce Manor were planning on taking a breakprior to the pandemic, Johnson soon began writing to keep boredom at bay and much of theremainder of 40 oz. To Fresno came out of that period of focused songwriting.

Produced by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Tokyo Police Club) with Motion City Soundtrack’sTony Thaxton on drums, the bulk of these songs were recorded in two separate sessions atMant Sounds in Glassell Park, California. “The whole process was just really easy and it wasalso fun because as a band we hadn’t hung out very much lately,” Johnson explains.