Rocker (feedbot)
Gold Member
It feels like it’s been a lifetime since we’ve heard some chunky output from the Dinosaur Pile-Up boys and to some extent, it has been. Six years since their last release, ‘Celebrity Mansions’, the world has changed immeasurably and, despite some serious shit happening to the band, their snark witticism, upfront honesty and ripper sound remains the same.
Before we go any further, there’s a slight elephant in the room. Following on from the success of 2019-early 2020 – the extensive touring, general burnout and not listening to the warning signs of his body – frontman extraordinaire Matt Bigland was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and, subsequently rediagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Taking its toll on him physically, mentally and spiritually, it threw everything back into perspective – being famous and getting cool doesn’t amount to shit if you’re not here to see it. I strongly recommend going through the 4-part mini doc on the official Dinosaur Pile-Up instagram (Dec 2024) for Bigland’s direct account but let me confirm here, the dude went through a journey. HOWEVER, during the height of his illness, when people would ask him how he felt, his response would always be ‘I’ve Felt Better’ to hide the deep and daily layers of trauma he was experiencing. And thus, the title of their latest release was born.
As a title track, ‘I’ve Felt Better’ hits like vintage Dinosaur Pile-Up. Big singalong choruses and machine gun delivered verses pertaining to everything that changed between Bigland’s hiatus from social media/admission to hospital, and his release down the line. Pop culture references are rife, with references to a certain person being ‘a Nazi’ and another changing genre to punk, it’s the sort of statement you would be rubbing your eyes to wake up from if you’d been isolated for two years.
Opening track and lead single ‘’Bout To Lose It’ is the perfect reintroduction to Dinosaur Pile-Up for those who’ve missed the threesome, and a perfect initial introduction for the uninitiated. Thundering distortion, Bigland’s distinctive vocals and ferocious drumming from Mike Sheils fill your ears. It’s effortlessly catchy, with a chorus line that’ll be stuck to your ears like marmalade toast sticking to the floor, before a gentle acoustic fill prior to the sudden explosion of the final chorus reminds you that they can play soft when they need to.
‘Love’s The Worst’ is a good example of them teasing expectations. Gentle, tactful, and built around a minor melody, it’s a classic breakup song of melancholic verses before a viciously delivered chorus. Bigland’s strength has always been in making his writing approachable, and ‘Love’s The Worst’ continues that trend; it’s poetry, but more like Rupi Kaur than Wordsworth; less flounce and more punch (although also less fingersnaps and more fingers up). The fact is, there’s very little subtlety, there’s no hidden messages. The day they leave you do want to die, and love is the best until it’s the worst, and that makes it eminently relatable.
‘Punk Kiss’ has one of the grungiest intros we’ve heard from DPU for a while, with crunchy rhythms and squeals of guitar, while second single ‘My Way’ feels like the spiritual successor to 2019’s ‘Back Foot’ – sardonic, rapidfire vocals, a hiphop beat and hook that’ll get your feet moving. Lyrically, where ‘Back Foot’ is an expression of a struggling musician trying to make it big, ‘My Way’ works as the sort of antithesis of that; fuck everyone else, do what makes you happy.
‘Sunflower’ feels like a traditional rock song – the kind of song that would makes you appreciate and yearn for old Foo Fighters. Uplifting to its core, it’s about moving on, growing and appreciating the path you’re on. “The sunflowers couldn’t grow without the rain” is a message that exemplifies the summery vibe throughout, but it’s Jim Cratchley’s bass that really leans into that sunlight feel. It carries the entire melody, never once stepping on the toes of Shelis or Bigland, but gling everything together.
‘Unfamiliar’ is a playful reflection of Bigland’s inner psyche, with instrumentation that could’ve come off straight from the Viagra Boys discography, complete with whistling through the second verse and background sound effects (admittedly, a staple of the DPU sound) while closer ‘I Don’t Love Nothing And Nothing Loves Me’ puts a stamp on loneliness; sombre and strangely eerie, it’s a personal end to an album of thematic ups and downs, replicating Bigland’s journey over the past half decade.
‘I’ve Felt Better’ is a compendium of the last five years; breakdowns in old relationships, building of new relationships, health scares, societal changes, and everything in between. Despite some of the more sombre themes, it’s a record of positivity and adjustment, being grateful for what you have and appreciating the little things. It’s achingly personal at points, genuinely hilarious at others, and full of more hooks than a tackle shop, and absolute proof that Dinosaur Pile-Up are back, and this album is guaranteed to make you feel better.
ANDY JOICE
Before we go any further, there’s a slight elephant in the room. Following on from the success of 2019-early 2020 – the extensive touring, general burnout and not listening to the warning signs of his body – frontman extraordinaire Matt Bigland was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and, subsequently rediagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Taking its toll on him physically, mentally and spiritually, it threw everything back into perspective – being famous and getting cool doesn’t amount to shit if you’re not here to see it. I strongly recommend going through the 4-part mini doc on the official Dinosaur Pile-Up instagram (Dec 2024) for Bigland’s direct account but let me confirm here, the dude went through a journey. HOWEVER, during the height of his illness, when people would ask him how he felt, his response would always be ‘I’ve Felt Better’ to hide the deep and daily layers of trauma he was experiencing. And thus, the title of their latest release was born.
As a title track, ‘I’ve Felt Better’ hits like vintage Dinosaur Pile-Up. Big singalong choruses and machine gun delivered verses pertaining to everything that changed between Bigland’s hiatus from social media/admission to hospital, and his release down the line. Pop culture references are rife, with references to a certain person being ‘a Nazi’ and another changing genre to punk, it’s the sort of statement you would be rubbing your eyes to wake up from if you’d been isolated for two years.
Opening track and lead single ‘’Bout To Lose It’ is the perfect reintroduction to Dinosaur Pile-Up for those who’ve missed the threesome, and a perfect initial introduction for the uninitiated. Thundering distortion, Bigland’s distinctive vocals and ferocious drumming from Mike Sheils fill your ears. It’s effortlessly catchy, with a chorus line that’ll be stuck to your ears like marmalade toast sticking to the floor, before a gentle acoustic fill prior to the sudden explosion of the final chorus reminds you that they can play soft when they need to.
‘Love’s The Worst’ is a good example of them teasing expectations. Gentle, tactful, and built around a minor melody, it’s a classic breakup song of melancholic verses before a viciously delivered chorus. Bigland’s strength has always been in making his writing approachable, and ‘Love’s The Worst’ continues that trend; it’s poetry, but more like Rupi Kaur than Wordsworth; less flounce and more punch (although also less fingersnaps and more fingers up). The fact is, there’s very little subtlety, there’s no hidden messages. The day they leave you do want to die, and love is the best until it’s the worst, and that makes it eminently relatable.
‘Punk Kiss’ has one of the grungiest intros we’ve heard from DPU for a while, with crunchy rhythms and squeals of guitar, while second single ‘My Way’ feels like the spiritual successor to 2019’s ‘Back Foot’ – sardonic, rapidfire vocals, a hiphop beat and hook that’ll get your feet moving. Lyrically, where ‘Back Foot’ is an expression of a struggling musician trying to make it big, ‘My Way’ works as the sort of antithesis of that; fuck everyone else, do what makes you happy.
‘Sunflower’ feels like a traditional rock song – the kind of song that would makes you appreciate and yearn for old Foo Fighters. Uplifting to its core, it’s about moving on, growing and appreciating the path you’re on. “The sunflowers couldn’t grow without the rain” is a message that exemplifies the summery vibe throughout, but it’s Jim Cratchley’s bass that really leans into that sunlight feel. It carries the entire melody, never once stepping on the toes of Shelis or Bigland, but gling everything together.
‘Unfamiliar’ is a playful reflection of Bigland’s inner psyche, with instrumentation that could’ve come off straight from the Viagra Boys discography, complete with whistling through the second verse and background sound effects (admittedly, a staple of the DPU sound) while closer ‘I Don’t Love Nothing And Nothing Loves Me’ puts a stamp on loneliness; sombre and strangely eerie, it’s a personal end to an album of thematic ups and downs, replicating Bigland’s journey over the past half decade.
‘I’ve Felt Better’ is a compendium of the last five years; breakdowns in old relationships, building of new relationships, health scares, societal changes, and everything in between. Despite some of the more sombre themes, it’s a record of positivity and adjustment, being grateful for what you have and appreciating the little things. It’s achingly personal at points, genuinely hilarious at others, and full of more hooks than a tackle shop, and absolute proof that Dinosaur Pile-Up are back, and this album is guaranteed to make you feel better.
ANDY JOICE