Million Dollars to Kill Me
Joyce Manor · 2018
22 min · 10 tracks · punk rock
Energetic punk melodies collide with introspective lyrics, capturing both exuberance and existential anxiety in under three minutes per track.
Top tracks — play these first
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Million Dollars to Kill Me — The titular track encapsulates the album's themes of self-reflection and desperation through a catchy chorus that belies its dark lyrical content.
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Fighting Kangaroo — With its rapid-fire verses and infectious energy, this track sets the tone for the album while addressing feelings of confusion and vulnerability.
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Think I'm Still in Love With You — This song features a poignant exploration of romantic uncertainty, showcasing the band's ability to blend personal storytelling with upbeat instrumentation.
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Gone Tomorrow — The brief yet impactful nature of this track highlights the fleeting moments of life and love, reinforcing the album’s overall theme of transience.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album combines energetic punk melodies with introspective lyrics, maintaining a cohesive and engaging flow.
What we noticed
- The lyrics often juxtapose upbeat melodies with introspective themes, adding depth to the otherwise energetic sound.
- The album features a consistent use of dynamic shifts, with several tracks transitioning from quiet verses to explosive choruses.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- short bursts of energetic fun
- catchy anthems for sing-alongs
- introspective themes with urgency
- for quick commutes
Maybe skip if you
- prefer lengthy immersive albums
- seek slow, patient listening
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2018, Million Dollars to Kill Me is Joyce Manor's fourth studio album, following their critically acclaimed record, Cody. At this point in their career, the band was solidifying their sound while exploring deeper lyrical themes, moving away from the more straightforward punk anthems of earlier works.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Modern Baseball· The Menzingers· PUP
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Think I'm Still in Love With You
A shift occurs in the bridge where the singer directly confronts their feelings about a past relationship.
This moment marks a departure from previous verses' ambivalence, revealing a raw honesty that deepens the emotional weight of the narrative.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Fighting Kangaroo 2:00
- 2 Think I'm Still in Love With You 2:47
- 3 Big Lie 2:45
- 4 I'm Not the One 2:31
- 5 Million Dollars to Kill Me 2:09
- 6 Silly Games 2:35
- 7 Friends We Met Online 2:11
- 8 Up the Punx 1:33
- 9 Gone Tomorrow 2:09
- 10 Wildflowers 1:51
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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