Joyce Manor

5735 fans

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 and guitarist Chase Knobbe—have built-up a feverish fanbase by writing catchy, pop-punk songs that seem straight-forward on the surface but teeming with carefully crafted nuances upon multiple 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 cohesive album that marks the next chapter of Joyce Manor. “This is an interesting record because the final 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 the original song,” Johnson explains. Although Joyce Manor were planning on taking a break prior to the pandemic, Johnson soon began writing to keep boredom at bay and much of the remainder 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’s Tony Thaxton on drums, the bulk of these songs were recorded in two separate sessions at Mant Sounds in Glassell Park, California. “The whole process was just really easy and it was also fun because as a band we hadn’t hung out very much lately,” Johnson explains. “We spent the last decade just talking, hanging out and drinking beers and then we went months without doing that for the first time in ten years.” Johnson adds that after their previous drummer Pat Ware recently left the band to go to law school, having Thaxton and Schnapf in the studio with them made for a seamless transition. “Tony was amazing to write with and he came up with amazing parts,” Johnson says, “and this was our second time working with Rob [who also produced 2016’s Cody] so there was already a lot of trust when it came to his musical vision. I think he made these songs a lot better.”

As its title suggests, 40 oz. To Fresno is an album that indulges in the unorthodox—and correspondingly, the first track is a cover of “Souvenir” by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, which originally appeared on a split 7-inch with Jawbreaker’s Blake Schwarzenbach in 2021. Even though it’s technically a cover, Joyce Manor make the song their own via swirling synths, palm-muted guitars and Johnson’s distinctive croon. This somewhat sonic outlier also perfectly sets the tone for what comes next such as “NBTSA,” which features the band’s signature blend of melodic guitar leads, rock-solid bass and driving drums. However the band aren’t afraid to experiment on the album and “Reason To Believe” features chiming chords and falsetto vocals while “Don’t Try” sees Thaxton integrating inventive drum patterns to the verses, which make the song's already infectious chorus stand out even more.

That said, this is an album that will undoubtedly please fans of Joyce Manor who have been waiting for four years for the follow-up to 2018’s Million Dollars To Kill Me. “One song I’m particularly proud of is ‘Did You Ever Know?’” Johnson explains. “I think that song is classic Joyce Manor in the sense that it’s linear and it doesn’t have any repeating parts; it just kind of starts from one point and ends up somewhere else, but somehow it seems to make sense and flow. It’s just short, bizarre and catchy.” In that spirit, 40 oz. Freedom's nine songs clock in at 17 minutes without a second of filler and with plenty of hooks. “I think one of the things people like about our band is that we make albums where everything is there for a reason,” Johnson adds. This is evident on the album’s first single “Gotta Let It Go” which pairs saccharine verses with an aggressive bridge that effectively puts the “punk” into pop-punk.

Lyrically, the album sees Johnson stretching out lyrically, especially on songs like the jangly “Dance With Me,” which features clever wordplay and syncopation that’s not typical for an upbeat love song. “I think that song is one of my better ones lyrically in the sense that it’s got a nice balance of pessimistic verses and then a super optimistic chorus,” Johnson explains, adding that the song’s chorus was influenced by Hepcat and the Pixies. While “Did You Ever Know?” sees Johnson capturing the nostalgia of a teenage crush, “You’re Not Famous Anymore” is a tongue-in-cheek look at the perils of youth stardom. “I don’t know how much of that song is anxiety about me becoming irrelevant. but I just think about bands who were big when we were starting and now there’s no interest around them,” he continues. “I wonder what it must be like to be so excited about where your future is going and then be confronted with the reality of it. I don’t think it’s necessarily reflecting on myself but who knows?”

One thing is for certain, with 40 oz. To Fresno, Joyce Manor have established themselves as one of today’s most catchy and consistent contemporary bands, a distinction that comes on the heels of their breakthrough 2011 debut Joyce Manor celebrating its ten-year anniversary last year. Not many bands can take influence from both Black Flag and Big Star, but Joyce Manor’s unique musical language takes these seemingly disparate influences and creates something unique that is distinctively their own. “This album makes me think of our early tours, drinking a 40 in the van on a night drive blasting Guided By Voices and smoking cigarettes the whole way to Fresno,” Johnson summarizes. That sense of liberation lies at the core of this album, making it strangely apt that its title was taken from an auto-corrected text message about Sublime. Those types of happy accidents are all over 40 oz To Fresno and are well worth the subsequent sonic hangover.
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Top tracks

10
Constant Headache
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
03:07
03
End of the Summer
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:49
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
09
Catalina Fight Song
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:05
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
06
Heart Tattoo
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:50
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
05
Last You Heard Of Me
Joyce Manor
Cody
03:08
08
Did You Ever Know?
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:29
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Rory Phillips / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Rory Phillips
03
Beach Community
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:42
02
NBTSA
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:12
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Jeff Enzor / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Jeff Enzor
01
Souvenir
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
03:06
Writer: Martin Cooper - Paul Humphreys / Composers: Martin Cooper - Paul Humphreys
06
Gotta Let It Go
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:56
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
07
Dance With Me
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
02:28
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
02
Falling in Love Again
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
02:28
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
04
Victoria
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:39
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
07
The Jerk
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:46
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
09
Secret Sisters
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:39
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Kurt Walcher / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Kurt Walcher
06
Make Me Dumb
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:47
01
Christmas Card
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
02:05
Writer: Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Kurt Walcher - Barry Johnson
10
Heated Swimming Pool
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:50
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
03
My Elise
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Summer Vacation
02:08
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matthew Ebert - Kurt Walcher
01
Fake I.D.
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:20
08
In the Army Now
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
02:21
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
04
You're Not Famous Anymore
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:45
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
05
Schley
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
02:07
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
08
Constant Nothing
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:25
06
Constant Nothing
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:27
01
Fighting Kangaroo
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
01:59
Writer: Patrick Ware - Rory A Philips - Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
09
Stairs
Joyce Manor
Cody
04:02
09
Gone Tomorrow
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:09
Writer: Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware - Barry Johnson
05
Don't Try
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:40
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Rory Phillips / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Rory Phillips
05
Million Dollars To Kill Me
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:09
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware
03
Big Lie
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:44
Writer: Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware - Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe
06
Silly Games
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:35
Writer: Rory Philips - Barry Johnson
02
Comfortable Clothes
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:04
01
House Warning Party
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:04
10
This Song Is A Mess But So Am I
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:24
01
Orange Julius
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:24
07
Done Right Discount Flooring
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:21
04
Do You Really Want To Not Get Better?
Joyce Manor
Cody
01:16
03
See How Tame I Can Be?
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:29
08
Up The Punx
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
01:33
Writer: Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware - Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe
02
Fuck Koalacaust
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:44
04
I'm Not The One
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:31
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Patrick Ware
02
Think I'm Still In Love With You
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:47
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware
03
Angel In The Snow
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:08
01
These Kind of Ice Skates
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:19
02
Eighteen
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:05
05
Video Killed The Radio Star
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
02:16
10
Leather Jacket
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
02:17
08
Reversing Machine
Joyce Manor
Cody
01:29
06
Leather Jacket
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
02:16
02
Call Out
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
02:05
07
Over Before It Began
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:51
03
Reason to Believe
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:25
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Katy Davidson - Rory Phillips / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Katy Davidson - Rory Phillips
04
Derailed
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:43
01
I Saw Water
Joyce Manor
I Saw Water
03:52
Writer: Adam Mcllwee / Composers: Adam Mcllwee - Benjamin Francis Walsh
01
NBTSA
Joyce Manor
Polyvinyl 4-Track Singles Series, Vol. 3
01:21
05
Famous Friend
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:31
07
21st Dead Rats
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:35
07
Friends We Met Online
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:11
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Rory Philips
09
Ashtray Petting Zoo
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
02:19
08
Violent Inside
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:30
08
Five Beer Plan
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:56

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  • Discography
Albums
Epitaph
10-06-2022
40 oz. to Fresno
01
Souvenir
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
03:06
Writer: Martin Cooper - Paul Humphreys / Composers: Martin Cooper - Paul Humphreys
02
NBTSA
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:12
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Jeff Enzor / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Jeff Enzor
03
Reason to Believe
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:25
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Katy Davidson - Rory Phillips / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Katy Davidson - Rory Phillips
04
You're Not Famous Anymore
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:45
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
05
Don't Try
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:40
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Rory Phillips / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Rory Phillips
06
Gotta Let It Go
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
01:56
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
07
Dance With Me
Joyce Manor
40 oz. to Fresno
02:28
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert / Composers: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
Access the complete album info (9 songs)
Epitaph
29-05-2020
Songs From Northern Torrance
01
House Warning Party
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:04
02
Fuck Koalacaust
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:44
03
DFHP
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
00:41
04
Danke Schoen
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:50
05
Who Gave You A Baby
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
00:54
06
Constant Nothing
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:27
07
Done Right Discount Flooring
Joyce Manor
Songs From Northern Torrance
01:21
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
Epitaph
21-09-2018
Million Dollars to Kill Me
01
Fighting Kangaroo
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
01:59
Writer: Patrick Ware - Rory A Philips - Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert
02
Think I'm Still In Love With You
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:47
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware
03
Big Lie
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:44
Writer: Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware - Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe
04
I'm Not The One
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:31
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Patrick Ware
05
Million Dollars To Kill Me
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:09
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Patrick Ware
06
Silly Games
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:35
Writer: Rory Philips - Barry Johnson
07
Friends We Met Online
Joyce Manor
Million Dollars to Kill Me
02:11
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Rory Philips
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
Epitaph
07-10-2016
Cody
01
Fake I.D.
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:20
02
Eighteen
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:05
03
Angel In The Snow
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:08
04
Do You Really Want To Not Get Better?
Joyce Manor
Cody
01:16
05
Last You Heard Of Me
Joyce Manor
Cody
03:08
06
Make Me Dumb
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:47
07
Over Before It Began
Joyce Manor
Cody
02:51
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
Epitaph
21-07-2014
Never Hungover Again
01
Christmas Card
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
02:05
Writer: Chase Knobbe - Matt Ebert - Kurt Walcher - Barry Johnson
02
Falling in Love Again
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
02:28
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
03
End of the Summer
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:49
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
04
Victoria
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:39
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
05
Schley
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
02:07
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
06
Heart Tattoo
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:50
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
07
The Jerk
Joyce Manor
Never Hungover Again
01:46
Writer: Kurt Walcher - Matt Ebert - Chase Knobbe - Barry Johnson
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
2013 ASIAN MAN RECORDS
14-05-2013
S/T
01
Orange Julius
Joyce Manor
S/T
01:16
02
Call Out
Joyce Manor
S/T
02:01
03
Beach Community
Joyce Manor
S/T
01:41
04
Derailed
Joyce Manor
S/T
01:43
05
Famous Friend
Joyce Manor
S/T
01:31
06
Leather Jacket
Joyce Manor
S/T
02:15
07
21st Dead Rats
Joyce Manor
S/T
01:33
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
2012 ASIAN MAN RECORDS
03-04-2012
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01
These Kind of Ice Skates
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:19
02
Comfortable Clothes
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:04
03
See How Tame I Can Be?
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:29
04
Drainage
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:11
05
Video Killed The Radio Star
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
02:16
06
If I Needed You There
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
01:07
07
Bride of Usher
Joyce Manor
Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
02:19
Access the complete album info (9 songs)
2021 ASIAN MAN RECORDS
11-01-2011
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01
Orange Julius
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:24
02
Call Out
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
02:05
03
Beach Community
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:42
04
Derailed
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:43
05
Famous Friend
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:31
06
Leather Jacket
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
02:16
07
21st Dead Rats
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor (Remastered)
01:35
Access the complete album info (10 songs)
EPs
2014 Recess Records
09-12-2014
Joyce Manor / Toys That Kill Split
01
Tame
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Toys That Kill Split
01:27
02
Bride
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Toys That Kill Split
02:39
03
Times We Can't Let Go
Toys That Kill
Joyce Manor / Toys That Kill Split
01:55
04
I Am Decided
Toys That Kill
Joyce Manor / Toys That Kill Split
02:14
2011 Songs From Northern Torrance
17-07-2011
Joyce Manor / Big Kids Split
01
New in This Light
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Big Kids Split
01:16
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matthew Ebert - Kurt Walcher
02
Midnight Service at the Mutter Museum (Cover)
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Big Kids Split
02:34
Writer: Barry Johnson - Spencer Moody
Singles
Epitaph
18-10-2023
I Saw Water
01
I Saw Water
Joyce Manor
I Saw Water
03:52
Writer: Adam Mcllwee / Composers: Adam Mcllwee - Benjamin Francis Walsh
2017 Third Man Records, LLC
07-07-2017
Live at Third Man Records
01
Constant Nothing
Joyce Manor
Live at Third Man Records
01:46
02
Christmas Card
Joyce Manor
Live at Third Man Records
01:57
Polyvinyl Record Co.
01-03-2017
Polyvinyl 4-Track Singles Series, Vol. 3
01
NBTSA
Joyce Manor
Polyvinyl 4-Track Singles Series, Vol. 3
01:21
02
Kid
Joyce Manor
Polyvinyl 4-Track Singles Series, Vol. 3
03:26
(P) 2017 Phat 'n' Phunky
22-02-2017
100% / Joyce Manor Split
01
All Dressed up in Dreams
100%
100% / Joyce Manor Split
03:48
Composers: 100%
02
Falling out of Love with You
Joyce Manor
100% / Joyce Manor Split
04:02
Composers: Joyce Manor
2010 Songs From Northern Torrance
17-07-2010
Joyce Manor / Summer Vacation
01
Holiday Heart
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Summer Vacation
01:03
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matthew Ebert - Kurt Walcher
02
DFHP
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Summer Vacation
00:54
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matthew Ebert - Kurt Walcher
03
My Elise
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor / Summer Vacation
02:08
Writer: Barry Johnson - Chase Knobbe - Matthew Ebert - Kurt Walcher