No Skips: L. Hotel's Dave Borrie on Pup's 'The Dream is Over'
This week former Radio One Dunedin Programme Director and L. Hotel bassist Dave Borrie dives into 'the Dream is Over' by Canadian punk outfit, Pup.
The premise of ‘No Skips’ is simple: I think the advent of music streaming/algorithms has inadvertently made our music tastes very insular. Personally, I’ve found it a lot harder to find new music to fall in love with that’s not just something an algorithm thinks I’d be keen on based on data it’s collected on me.
So to broaden my, and hopefully your, musical horizons, each week I reach out to musicians I love to get their recommendation on an album they believe deserves the title of 'No Skips'— one you can listen to front to back without wanting to skip a single track.
This week we are joined by Dave Borrie! As a former Radio One Dunedin Programme Director and bassist for indie rock band L. Hotel, Dave is fully qualified to give an expert opinion on an album deserving of the no-skip title. And that album is The Dream is Over, the second album from the Canadian punk rock band Pup, released in 2016.
How I came across The Dream is Over is such a naff story but I found it on YouTube (it’s a video-sharing website – kind of like TikTok). Back in the day before I had Spotify, I listened to most of my music on YouTube. The algorithm was really good at bringing you new stuff within your taste bubble, but fresh.
Anyway, the algorithm threw me this track off the album called Old Wounds. It’s the heaviest track on the album and super thrashy, frantic guitars, and just one of those tracks that makes you feel like you can do anything. I listened to it for weeks, and when the album dropped I raced to Bandcamp to cop that sweet, sweet digital copy.
I love everything about this album. It’s perfect. Everything, down to the last-minute detail. I love the cover art, I love the way the tracks lead into one another, the screaming vocals, the memories associated with hearing the album for the first time. You name something about the album that you like, I will blindly agree with you. From cover to cover, the album is exciting. There’s never a dull moment, each song is distinctly unique, and while it is a post-hardcore/ punk-rock album – I believe there is something for everyone on here.
I think particularly what strikes me with this album is the tone that the band sets from the get-go. The Dream Is Over is kind of a concept album. Except the concept is self-depreciation, blunt sarcasm, and endearing honesty oozing from the pores of this LP.
It’s frantic, without losing purpose or direction. It’s a fresh brand of the cynical self-loathing loser punk, without being hateful. It has moments of pure angst, without losing maturity. It’s terrific, and fun, and I never get bored of it.
Right from the get-go the tone of the album is set with If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will. A track detailing the high tensions between bandmates during weeks and weeks of grueling touring, and it doesn’t slow down from there. The end of the opening track seamlessly bleeds into DVP, a racing two-and-a-half-minute anthem that barely gives you any time to breathe.
This album scratches an itch right in the deepest pit of my brain. Every riff, every drum fill, every guitar tone, and each gang vocal is perfect. Not one instrument is overbearing, and it never feels like an empty soundscape. Each part shines in a unique way while still giving space for other instruments. All this while having an incredible emotional and musical range. This album has been one of my most listened since it was released in 2016, and while I take breaks from it, I always find myself coming back.
Deciding on tracks to hook in a first-time listener is tricky because i’m aware this genre isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. With that in mind, my choices are two great entry-level punk tracks.
The magnum opus of the album (IMO) is Sleep in the Heat – the heartbreaking tale of the lead singer’s chameleon which slowly fell out of health between stints of touring. Stefan’s honest songwriting and storytelling is at its finest in this song, and his pain, and frustration is felt so vividly in this track. You put this Sleep in the Heat against Marley & Me in an onion-cutting contest – this song wins every time.
My Life Is Over and I Couldn’t Be Happier. The opening riff grabbed me when I first heard it. It’s a racing, gang vocal riddled two minute track, I just find it so energising. A great way to burn off some steam.
Has this album influenced you as an artist in any way, and if so, how? And if not, what can you still appreciate about it as a musician?
This is a great question! My own bass playing is more influenced by Robert Smith (The Cure) or Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich (Camp Cope). I try to be more melodic – I’m a big believer in trying a nifty bass run - even though a simple bassline really is the best option. I really like the grunty tones that Nestor Chumak creates in this album, and his playing fills the space and provides everything a bass should do excellently, but they’re not really something that fits within the style of L. Hotel. I would love to write and play songs like PUP, or play in punk band, so perhaps my love for this album is because it’s a genre I’ve never dipped my toes into with my playing. The call of the void/ want of the unknown perhaps.
A huge thanks to Dave for taking the time to dive into his love for ‘The Dream is Over’! You can check out Dave’s band L. Hotel, and their cover of Suzy Cato’s ‘See ya later’ below, but also be sure to check out their Spotify for their top-tapping originals which are not to be missed!