Indie band Joy Again recently announced they were calling it quits after 10 years of doing music together. They also announced their debut album “Song and Dance” will be released on June 28, but they canceled their upcoming tour and any subsequent projects. In the band’s memory, and ahead of their album release, I decided to listen to every song the band released on Spotify and rank them based on my own opinions. I have my general thoughts listed under every song as well for you to understand my reasoning.

As a disclaimer, this is the first time I’m listening to the vast majority of these songs. I’ve gone back to tweak the rankings a bit after listening, but this is heavily based on first impressions.

Now onto the list!

Tier 5 (2-4/10) – The Bad Tier

These are songs that are not worth going to under any circumstance.

• Melty
  • I don’t like the distorted vocals very much. Drums are off rhythm and the bass gets overpowering at times. The picking riff is pretty much the only redeeming quality.
• Renoir
  • I’m normally a fan of the really distorted stuff, this reminds me of Mike Krol (a punk artist I really like). Joy Again just doesn’t pull off this style in the way I like, I think the main singer’s voice just irks me here.
• How You Feel
  • Echoing guitars, about insecurity, not a huge fan of the vocals. This doesn’t fit the style they seem to be trying to go for.
• Gilgamesh
  • Painfully average indie song. It doesn’t do enough for me compared to other songs on “Forever” to rank it any higher.
• Special Secret Machine
  • Unsettling in a bad way. The melody feels like it switches between major and minor, and the sporadic drums do not help. I can see the vision, but this one doesn’t do it for me.

Tier 4 (4-6/10) – The Average Tier 

Test these out only if you really love what you’ve heard from the band.

• Winter Snakes (& Winter Snakes (2017))
  • More of the same distorted vocals and distinct guitar. It’s a catchy tune, I can’t really put my finger on why I like it more than the ones on the bottom. The 2017 release is pretty much the same song, so I’m lumping them together.
• Deathwish // Deathbed
  • More comfy (and sonically muted) than “Winter Snakes”. I like the choppy guitar riff, it practically forces you to bop your head.
• Dog In The Yard (B-Side)
  • Very very similar to “Deathwish // Deathbed” but more punkish. I like the other song’s softer sound better though.
• Strange Day
  • This is the best song out of the ones with the super distorted vocals. To reiterate, I just don’t think it works well for Joy Again. I originally had it even lower but it’s got a bit of juice toward the end.
• Dead Dog
  • Pretty similar to the rest of the songs on “Forever”, but the random adlibs in the first verse give it a boost.
• Rats
  • Eerie synths and odd lyrics comprise this one. Different? Yes. Good? Debatable.
• Time Trials
  • Just like Dead Dog in the similarity sense, but it’s more intense which gives it the edge over the other more average songs from “Forever”.
• How You Feel (2016 single)
  • This more polished version of the song is so much better than the one from “Forever”. Joy Again’s artist evolution is on full display here. Still not enough to get it out of the average tier.
• Rain Brain
  • Mac Demarco is the indie blueprint and this track puts that on display more than many others on “Forever”. I have more than enough of him on my playlist already though.

Tier 3 (6-7/10) – The Solid Tier

These are songs that don’t really move the needle, but I won’t always skip them when they pop up.

• Worn Out
  • About trouble with ending a relationship, similar indie sound with the guitars but I like the drum font a lot in this one.
• Bohemian Vista
  • A slower song, but I like the chord progression a lot. Just not enough here for me to put it higher.
• Slow Track
  • The synths feel heavily Jack Stauber-inspired. A slower, more relaxing track than most, certainly belongs in the solid tier.
• I’m Your Dog
  • The novelty of the 2017 punkish sound has worn off at this point in listening, and while it’s a good song, there’s not much special. The ending sequence carries super hard.
• Nobody Knows (2018)
  • This 2018 style has a lot going on, in a good way. Too much to even describe in this little blurb, definitely worth the listen (headphones are a must).
• Strange Day (2018)
  • Added to “Forever” much later, and the polish helps the song out so much. The vocals are unique and not annoying like the first version, and the new synth layer is just fun.
• So Blue (B-Side)
  • Guitar chords are more muted than other songs giving this one a more unique vibe. When the drums come in you really start to feel the build despite it being a slower song.
• Another Song About Ghosts
  • Unique grainy vocals, and the spatial audio touch is neat. I like the guitar riffs a lot. Lowkey reminds me of Neutral Milk Hotel.
• Mistakes
  • Cool guitar riff in the post-chorus, I love the background singers in the chorus too.
• Living Ghosts
  • Just a very catchy hook. Not much is super special about this one, but it definitely clicks with me melodically.
• Country Song
  • It’s exactly what the title suggests. I’m not the biggest fan of country, but I appreciate that Joy Again is willing to continue pushing their artistic boundaries. Simply put, it’s cute and folksy.
• Another Song About Ghosts (2017)
  • This one benefits from 3 years’ worth of work done to it, but doesn’t do enough to go much higher. Almost more Neutral Milk Hotel influence in the synth usage and vocals, but it’s still welcome.
• On A Farm
  • A cute, short song that must’ve just missed the cut for the self-titled EP. More ethereal and weirder than every other song I’ve heard to this point.

Tier 2 (7-8/10) – The Good Tier

There are some gems in here, you should listen if you like the first 10 and want to go down the rabbit hole a bit more.

• Hands
  • I love a song with a good picking pattern. It feels like there’s not enough of these in their catalog.
• Disorder
  • I didn’t think much of this short song at first, but things go from zero to 100 really quickly. Breakcore drums snap in and then it sounds hyperpop-ish at the very end. Very unique and way out of left field.
• Couldn’t
  • This song builds in a way no other Joy Again song has. The way that new instruments are introduced is awesome. Armed with a great hook, this is one of the most underrated tracks in their catalog.
• Uncomfortable Bed
  • The most uncomfortable song I’ve come across musically, which is a bit on the nose, I know. The lyrics are grounded and it has that synth in it that I love.
• Sungazing
  • Fantastic guitar solo on this one. I love the sound of the post-2016 banjo and this does just that. The end of the song is amazing, using synths I’d describe as sort of wavy.
• Born A Fool
  • The lyrical flow and background guitar in the beginning of this song are so good. Unique drums make it feel like a sweet little treat just for me.
• Who Knows
  • This is probably Joy Again’s poppiest song I’ve heard yet. Even then they continue to push their boundaries with liberal synth usage and multiple voices. A top 20 placement feels right.
• Leaf On A Falling Yacht
  • It’s the prototype of “Looking Out For You” and clearly lacks the polish of Joy Again’s premier hit. Awesome to listen to in a kind of historical sense, but doesn’t match up with the bigger hitters of “Forever” until its 2016 release.
• S’no (B-Side)
  • Upbeat in a way that no other song on “Forever” is. The lyrical flow just works, and the key change is amazing. There’s some screaming at the end that caught me way off guard.
• Mordecai’s Bad Sex Dream
  • This song is chaotic and grungy but it’s a pretty instrumental. There’s some cool spatial audio stuff toward the end
• Bali Shag Palak Paneer
  • I love the bass riff, unique synths. Bopped my head the whole time. Bit of an eerie vibe but a great but short instrumental.
• Angel
  • Their most recent single, coming out in March. This track feels like a farewell song and it definitely holds more weight considering the fate of the band. Solid track and makes me look forward to the album all the more.

Tier 1 (8-10/10) – The Best Tier

All of Joy Again’s top 10 songs are worth going out of your way to listen to.

• Shoobie
  • I still love the electronic sound. One of their liveliest party songs combined with a top 3 hook they’ve put out produces an all-around bop.
• Pennsylvania Black Coffee
  • This one has my favorite hook on “Forever”. I love the catchy vocals and the whistling in the post chorus, those really set the song apart.
• Kim
  • Some indie rock with some actual emphasis on the rock. Joy Again’s first foray into a more punk style definitely paid its dividends with this one.
• What Lovers Do
  • This song is just so complex. There are sounds like ones I’d hear scoring a scene in ambient space (in the best way possible). I’m seeing Joy Again’s artistic creativity and evolution on a different level here.
• Let’s Do a Dance
  • All of the electronic elements Joy Again adopted over the years are put on a gorgeous spectacle here. Guitars, piano, synths and horns are all heard in their most crowded song I’ve heard yet. Clearly a lot of progress had been made between 2022 and 2023.
• Stairs
  • The banjo is super welcome. VERY Neutral Milk Hotel inspired in the best way. The descending synths in the middle of the song are such a cute addition too.
• Cecile (Marcus Mamourian)
  • The two voices immediately set this one apart from the rest of their catalog. The verse in French is really cute too. It feels like the most complete song on their mixtape.
• Sorry You Didn’t Get To Kiss That Boy You Wanted To Kiss
  • Despite the length of the name, it’s a short song. Loved the clearer vocals compared to the rest of “Forever” and the lyrics were very Midwest emo-inspired which I adore.
• Looking Out For You
  • This is the song that everyone knows Joy Again for, and for great reason. The banjo is iconic, and I have a ton of nostalgia tied to this song as well. Typically I’m not one to make the popular pick, but this song is the exception.
• Necromancer
  • Joy Again’s 2nd most popular song (by a pretty wide margin). I first heard this in a TikTok announcing the breakup of the band and it’s been on repeat. It reminds me of a Cavetown bedroom pop vibe. Definitely recency bias but this song just hits that part of my brain that makes me feel.