Long beach legends Joyce Manor return after three years with “All My Friends Are So Depressed,” a catchy, pop-forward track inspired by The Smiths, about life’s subtle glimmers and experiencing warmth under the chill of depression.
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“All My Friends Are So Depressed” – Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor have never shied away from heavy emotions.
It’s nearly what they’re known for – playing music with their hearts on their sleeves, and lyrics that subsequently save lives. Their latest offering, “All My Friends Are So Depressed,” is no different, though it’s packaged in a slightly different sound.
When I look into your eyes
I feel paint on houses dry
Humbly I do accept
Biggest chain around my neck
Why exist?
Who gives a f*?
Lord above Tecate Truck
Bee will sting, bird will nest
Never guess what happens next
Hey, you got me, I was wrong
I was just trying to sing along
Got it wrong, can’t move on
Been awake for far too long
3:00 PM, can’t get dressed
All my friends are so depressed
Released August 18th via Epitaph, “All My Friends Are So Depressed” comes after a three-year hiatus following 2022’s sixth studio album, 40 oz. to Fresno. The track is a far more pop-forward tune than the band’s previous releases, while the lyrics are classic Joyce Manor – albeit with a touch of what Johnson describes as “kind of my take on what I imagine Lana Del Rey lyrics are like. Instead of icy, detached, cool ‘50s Americana, it’s all dirty shag carpet, bong rips, Peter Frampton Comes Alive, key lime pie, and suicidal ideations.”
The song’s cadence is heavily inspired by hyperpop moguls 100 Gecs. Yet all of this is layered over the musical styling of something akin to The Smiths and Tiger Army.
This Frankenstein’s monster of inspirations culminates in a truly haunting, upbeat song. Though the track’s name leads one to believe the song will be somber and heavy, the instrumentation leans almost entirely in the opposite direction. There’s a hopefulness about it that cannot be missed, even if you tried; a “you’ll get through it!” peaks under the depressing concept and lyrics. According to Joyce Manor, the song was born out of frontman Barry Johnson’s experience driving home to Long Beach.
Easy come and easy go
Dishwasher just overflowed
Keylime pie and Frampton live
Wish that I would fucking die
Chalk it up to rotten luck
Time and spacе have come unstuck
I pursue a deepеr dream
Kill it with a laser beam
“The first line I came up with for this song was ‘lord above in a Tecate truck’ after passing a Tecate delivery truck with Jesus sh*t all over it on the freeway driving back to Long Beach after a show in Fresno,” Johnson explains. “While searching for a line that rhymed with ‘lord above in a Tecate truck,’ I came up with ‘why even exist? Who gives a f*ck!?’ and the concept of ‘All My Friends Are So Depressed’ was born.”
The line “lord above in a Tecate truck” may have random origins, but the meaning behind it feels strong. Alcohol can become God when all else feels lost. The anger and the irony blend into this relatable place that Joyce Manor do so well.
Hey, you got me, I was wrong
I was just trying to sing along
Got it wrong, can’t move on
Been awake for far too long
3:00 PM, can’t get dressed
All my friends are so depressed
Finding the lord through alcohol in a time of need and seeing the irony in the meaning of it. Experiencing warmth under the chill of depression. It’s all the human experience.
That slight glimmer that springs from irony is what keeps life interesting, and “All My Friends Are So Depressed” seems to play on that subtle glimmer life sometimes shares. The irony in the nonsense.
Johnson’s lyrics play a role in this feeling of acknowledging what’s happening, but the instrumentation is what seals the deal – making the song relatable and solid, while also nearing earworm status with that catchy, cathartic chorus.
Stream “All My Friends Are So Depressed” out now, and welcome back, Joyce Manor.
Hey, you got me, I was wrong
I was just trying to sing along
Got it wrong, can’t move on
Been awake for far too long
3:00 PM, can’t get dressed
All my friends are so depressed
Hey, you knew it all along
I was ashamed and I was wrong
Hit the bong, wrote a song
Fell asleep for way too long
Wore a dress, “Last Caress”
All my friends are so depressed
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“All My Friends Are So Depressed” – Joyce Manor
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© Dan Monick
© Dan Monick
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