Six years since their last record, Dinosaur Pile-Up return with I’ve Felt Better, a blistering, heartfelt, and unflinchingly honest album that doesn’t just pick up where they left off, it redefines them. This record is the sound of survival, resilience, and finding light after some of the darkest days imaginable.
From the opening track ‘Bout to Lose It’, you can feel the pent-up energy that’s been building since 2019. It’s pure Dinosaur Pile-Up chaos. It’s what the band had become known for over half a decade ago, head-banging riffs, crunching drums, and that unfiltered Matt Bigland roar and delivery. There’s no let up at all and one fan on YouTube summed it up wonderfully by saying “I’ve waited 5 years for this to happen and it was worth every second, we love you Matt”.
Something feels different this time around though. As Bigland told Soundsphere in a recent interview, “Talking about what happened reminds me of my resilience… I am capable of that.” Knowing the health battles he went through including hospital stays, a collapsed throat, and surgeries it gives these songs a grit and urgency that can’t be faked and can be felt throughout.
Tracks like ‘My Way’ (one of my favourites) embodies that defiance, throwing Eminem-style flows against hardcore breakdowns. “I made peace with the fact I’m never going to be recognised as ‘cool’,” Bigland admits, it’s a sentiment fans have latched onto online, with one Reddit user calling the track “a middle finger to expectations, but in the most fun way possible,” and another under the tracks YouTube video saying, “You may not like it, but this is what peak dad rock looks like.”
The album also leans into some of their most melodic work to date. ‘Quasimodo Melonheart’ feels like a thank-you for being loved at your lowest, while ‘Sunflower’ is a solid track that does feel like there’s an added bit of tenderness in it. There’s a really vast range of emotions packed into this record.
Then there’s tracks like ‘Unfamiliar’, a slow-burn reflection on identity, that sounds like something right out of the early 00s. This is another of my favorites. It’s got a really catchy vibe and the way it drops and calms is brilliant. I also love the delivery as well as the lyrics. ‘I Don’t Love Nothing And Nothing Loves Me’ is a soft track that is honestly one of the most raw and open tracks I’ve heard this year from any artist. It’s not trying to be emotional, and that’s why it works so well, you can tell this is pure honesty. This one will stay with you and is one of the best on the album. It closes things on what feels like an unresolved ache, because not everything wraps up neatly in real life.
Overall, the record feels extremely well produced and balanced. For a record that I’m sure the band felt a lot of pressure creating, they’ve done a great job of mashing over half a decade worth of experiences into 12 tracks. There’s snarling riffs, there’s moments of quiet clarity and there’s an undertone of being authentic. Bigland’s focus has shifted, more on the things that matter, less on chasing trends. “I’ve Felt Better” feels like both a victory lap and a fresh start. This is a band refusing to be defined by the worst years of their lives. It’s honest without being too self-indulgent, fun without being a throwaway, and deeply human and relatable from start to finish. Great job guys!
I’ve Felt Better scores its self a well prescribed 8.5 out of 10
Upcoming Tour Dates
Fri 5 Sep – XOYO, Birmingham
Sat 6 Sep – Electric, Bristol
Wed 10 Sep – Garage, Glasgow
Thu 11 Sep – New Century Hall, Manchester
Sat 13 Sep – Electric Ballroom, London
Reviewer – Alan Robinson @alan_robinson_photography