Now this really shouldn’t work. At all. On their second EP, Puppy have travelled further down a rabbit hole of influences that would normally make for uneasy bedfellows and produced something deeply, unfathomably enjoyable. From its love of guitar harmonies to its power-pop hooks and - to gasps from the gallery - even a nu metal riff or two, ‘Vol. II’ is an examination of enthusiasm as a binding agent.
Puppy attack each stylistic choice with conviction and a grin, safe in the knowledge that they have winning melodies on their side. Here they move further from the scuzzy pop that anchored last year’s self-titled bow, indulging hints of grunge and a burgeoning affection for Metallica ballads of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The guitar pyrotechnics of ‘Maladroit’-era Weezer also still have their place, but this is a more introverted, dramatic affair than its predecessor.
In addition to the odd bludgeoning moment - see the opening bars of Entombed - guitarist Jock Norton spends a decent amount of time experimenting further with clean tones and precise patterns, only opening the floodgates when the moment calls for it.
The contrast works particularly well on My Tree, which explodes into life at chorus time thanks to a monster of a riff and a meandering hook that’s symptomatic of another subtle shift in the band's thinking.
Norton’s vocal melodies are less immediate on ‘Vol. II’ as a whole and often snake around the point before grabbing a firm hold after repeat visits. Warm, in particular, is happy to take its time and spends almost three minutes looking inwards before delivering another syrupy hit. Pressing home the EP’s mangling of dynamics, the song then escalates further by repurposing its previously morose refrain as a bittersweet centrepiece come its conclusion: “We’ll get by without love.”
Puppy have turned in another bite size gem with ‘Vol. II’, crafting an EP that will disgust some while delighting many more.
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