Last week the Polaris Music Prize, which recognizes the year’s best Canadian full-length album, unveiled its 40-album shortlist for 2016. It includes big-time pop stars like Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen, and critical darlings like Grimes and The Weeknd. But tucked in amongst the far more established artists is PUP, a Toronto punk quartet that just released its sophomore album The Dream Is Over. It wasn’t totally a surprise—the band’s self-titled debut also made the Polaris longlist back in 2013, thanks to thundering tracks like “Reservoir.” But The Dream Is Over is an even more confident step forward, following years of aggressive touring and near-destruction. The album title is allegedly a quote from singer Stefan Babcock’s doctor, who gave a grim diagnosis when the vocalist suffered hemorrhaging vocal chords that threatened to derail the band forever. But the band defiantly regrouped and continued, leading off the new record with, “If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will,” which emphasizes both the tongue-in-cheek humor and intensity of a typical PUP song. —K.M. McFarland