We're a few days away from the release of PUP's new album Who Will Look After The Dogs?, and you should probably be excited about that. Thus far, the inventive Toronto punks have already shared the early tracks "Paranoid," "Hallways," and the Jeff Rosenstock collab "Get Dumber." (Frontman Stefan Babcock also guested on Illuminati Hotties' "Wreck My Life.") Now, PUP are giving a couple more reasons to be excited: The new song "Olive Garden" and the Olive Garden-style record-release party that the band is planning.
"Olive Garden" is the last single that PUP will release before the album drops. It's a noisy and raw but extremely melodic account of an uncomfortable conversation. In a press release, Stefan Babcock explains that the song started out as an acoustic demo before getting heavy:
This is a very stupid, but also wonderful song. The band get all the credit for turning it into something really special. Zack (who plays drums) heard my cute little acoustic guitar demo and decided we should try and make it as heavy as possible, which is objectively a very annoying thing to suggest. But you know what, I’m glad I kept my stupid mouth shut, because it works. There’s a real magic in the way these sweet vocal melodies are bludgeoned by a wall of disgusting, grinding, detuned guitars. The whole song is kinda upsetting and uncomfortable but also catchy and fun. And I don’t care what anyone says, "Olive Garden" rhymes with "Grandma in a coffin" -- listen to this crap and tell me I’m wrong.
Here's the Olive Garden-style "Olive Garden" video that PUP bassist Nestor Chumak made:
Speaking of Olive Garden, the restaurant actually does not have a branch in PUP's Toronto hometown. When you're in Toronto, you're not family. PUP will fix this deficiency when they throw their Who Will Look After The Dogs? release party on Thursday night at Toronto's Sound Garage. According to a press release, the party will include a full-album playback and a short PUP performance, two things that don't often happen at the Olive Garden. It'll also have "Olive Garden-inspired music, decor, and food from Matty Matheson’s beloved Rizzo's House of Parm, and more surprises to come." You'll want to RSVP here.
Speaking of Matty Matheson, famous restaurateur and star of The Bear, he just played his first show with his new hardcore band Pig Pen in Toronto last weekend. I'm told that Matheson isn't personally catering the party; just his restaurant. Still, if I understand the rules of etiquette correctly, PUP are now obligated to start a restaurant now, and that restaurant must serve food at Pig Pen's album release party, whenever that should occur. Who Will Look After The Dogs? is out 5/2 on Rise.
