Joyce Manor needs no introduction. Since their 2011 debut, the band has helped catalyze the renaissance period of pop-punk. Their seventh studio album, I Used To Go To This Bar, refines the ideas present at their conception without losing the heart that earned their fan base.
Sonically, Joyce Manor sits at the center of a Venn diagram that makes genre distinctions veer toward “grey area.” For decades, general audiences have struggled to differentiate between “pop-punk” and “emo.” A solid middle ground developed somewhere around the 2010s, and Joyce Manor is firmly part of that group. Their melodic sensibilities mirror those of AFI’s Davey Havok. They also employ the kind of catchy hooks that pushed Weezer into the mainstream. I Used To Go To This Bar marries these strengths into what is, essentially, a solid full-length record.
The more obvious nods to the band’s sonic inspirations don’t borrow too much. Instead, they sit in that “sweet spot” where tricks are employed without being overused. For example, “Well, Whatever It Was” could fit into Weezer’s Blue Album like a glove. There are a few Weezer moments throughout the LP, but this track is the most pronounced.
My dad tells me he loves going to “emo” shows with me. Of course, he gets my plus-one if he offers a ride. More importantly, my dad came up in the thrash metal scene here in the East Bay. He saw groups like AFI and Weezer come up and claims he met both (though his memory is shrouded in a boozy fog). Shows for artists like Joyce Manor feel full-circle for him. He hears aspects of his era in what our generation puts out.
Lyrically, I Used To Go To This Bar matures the group’s signature style. Thankfully, it doesn’t lose the melodramatic sparkle that emerging artists in the same genre offer. Instead, it places these themes into more adult contexts. The closing track, “Grey Guitar,” leans self-deprecatory—but in a more grown-up way. The narrator still feels “unfixable,” yet he’s more inclined to put the responsibility on himself. No exes, no dramatics, none of the teen-era deflections. Serious tracks like “Grey Guitar” also sprinkle in humor wherever possible. It’s a great balance. Joyce Manor writes for their core audience without patronizing it.
I Used To Go To This Bar provides a promising start to 2026 for alternative music at large. There’s something in it for everyone, from its relentlessly catchy opening track to its reflective closing notes. Whether you’re “smoking teenaged hash in the grass with a possum” or carrying over lessons from past relationships, Joyce Manor articulates pain points without being condescending. The compositions will shine in live settings, where moshing and surfing will feel—as clichéd as the term has become in music journalism—cathartic.
