Joyce Manor Returns with Brett Gurewitz-Produced Single, “All My Friends Are So Depressed”

After three years, Southern California’s punk trio Joyce Manor, featuring Barry Johnson (vocals/guitar), Matt Ebert (bass/backing vocals), and Chase Knobbe (guitar), are back with a new single, “All My Friends Are So Depressed.”

Vocalist/guitarist Barry Johnson explains, “The first line I came up with for this song was ‘lord above in a Tecate truck’ after passing a Tecate delivery truck with Jesus shit all over it on the freeway driving back to Long Beach after a show in Fresno. While searching for a line that rhymed with ‘lord above in a Tecate truck’ I came up with ‘why even exist? Who gives a fuck!?’ and the concept of ‘All My Friends Are So Depressed’ was born. It’s kind of my take on what I imagine Lana Del Rey lyrics are like. Instead of icy, detached cool 50’s Americana, it’s all dirty shag carpet, bong rips, Peter Frampton Comes Alive, key lime pie and suicidal ideations. My flow was inspired by 100 Gecs who I was listening to a concerning amount in 2023 (Much respect to Dylan and Laura, please take us on tour). Musically, we were drawing from The Libertines, Tiger Army, X, and The Smiths… obviously.”

The song was produced by punk legend Brett Gurewitz, the track marks a powerful comeback for the band and underscores Gurewitz’s enduring influence on contemporary punk.

Brett Gurewitz—co-founder/guitarist of Bad Religion and founder of Epitaph Records—is one of the most pivotal figures in punk history. Beyond Bad Religion, he produced legendary albums for SoCal punk acts like NOFX, Rancid, and Pennywise. Gurewitz also built Epitaph into an independent powerhouse—resisting major label takeover offers and fostering an artist-first ethos.

His connection to Joyce Manor began around Never Hungover Again (2014), where he served as a sounding board and quasi-executive producer, even guiding the band away from an original track listing and album title (In the Army Now) that he deemed less effective. He has long championed them—not just as a label head, but as a mentor invested in their growth and craft.

This new release follows the band’s 2022 LP, 40 oz. to Fresno, hailed by The New York Times as “a relentlessly tuneful 17-minute collection of all-killer, no-filler power-pop,” and by Pitchfork as “a loving, uncynical refinement of the band’s best.” In recent years, Joyce Manor toured with Weezer, made their TV debut on Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney performing “Constant Headache” (a song also featured in FX’s The Bear), and celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Never Hungover Again.

Joyce Manor: Album Timeline & Charting Highlights

2011 Joyce Manor (debut)
Released via 6131 Records; breakout via “Constant Headache,” Tumblr buzz

2012 – Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Released via Asian Man; a terse, genre-jumping sophomore effort

2014 – Never Hungover Again
Epitaph debut; peaked at #106 on Billboard 200, #24 Alt Albums, #1 Heatseekers

2016 – Cody
Produced by Rob Schnapf; charted #192 on Billboard 200, #19 Alternative Albums

2018 – Million Dollars to Kill Me
Peaked #5 Heatseekers, #18 Independent Albums, #9 Tastemaker Albums

2022 – 40 oz. to Fresno
Critically acclaimed; no specific chart peaks found in sources, but widely praised

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Tagged as: 10s, Joyce Manor, punk, USA