Fans have longed to hear it! The Get Up Kids have dropped a new full length record! It’s their first LP release in 8 years. The Get Up Kids have recently been back on the road doing a South America tour in 2017 and a U.S. tour in 2018 to support the release of their EP “Kicker” [RTP’s Review of Kicker], and are currently on tour in Europe. I guess it’s safe to say that The Get Up Kids are back, making incredible music and playing high energy shows to dedicated fans.
Their latest record “Problems” just dropped yesterday, May 10th, 2019. It contains 12 incredible tracks and Rock the Pigeon has reviewed each one here.
“Problems” starts off strongly with “Satellite” a banger that begins acoustically and transforms into their “Something To Write Home About” era sound. For a longtime fan like me, this is quite exciting. It’s a sound that truly never gets old. The band has released something that feels fresh because there’s brand new melodies and lyrics but they still carry on with the sound that made them rise.
The record continues on with “The Problem is Me.” Matt Pryor’s vocals sound as good as ever, feeling slightly punk, and slightly emo, just as they always do. This song is another catchy anthem that fans will long to sing to at their live shows. Luckily, they’ll be on a National and International tour this summer and fall and anyone lucky will get to experience their show.
The Get Up Kids introduce a slightly newer sound on “Salina” with heavy tom drums and vocals that feel even more emotional. The song breaks down for it’s chorus and may remind fans of their hit song “Valentine.” The slowly paced vocal delivery over the soaring distorted guitars create a sound that pulls on the listeners heartstrings. It feels like true devastating heartbreak.
“Now or Never” serves as a reminder to live in the moment. It has a more upbeat vibe than the previous song. “Lou Barlow” is actually not about the Dinosaur Jr. singer but about a changing relationship. The band just threw Lou in the lyrics because it was an attention grabber. The theme seems to continue in the next song “Fairweather Friends.” The bass stands out a lot on this one, demanding the listeners attention, thus carrying the spirit of the song. There’s a fun rock n’ roll guitar solo on it too.
The record continues on with “Common Ground” another heartbreak ballad. Then the pace picks up with the synth heavy song “Waking Up Alone.”
“The Advocate” feels heavier, less poppy, more emo, feeling like it could be off of “Four Minute Mile.” It comes across as a heavy rock sound with an experimental element to it, which sets the song apart from most of the other previous songs on the record. “Symphony of Sound” follows the heavy theme. The spirit of the record is lifted slightly with the song “Breaklines.” Punk rock drumming brings up the mood even with the emotionally tender vocal delivery.
Closing their colossal record is the song “Your Ghost is Gone.” If the poetic title didn’t drag you in enough, you’ll be captivated by the sound of a grand piano in a large hall. “Your Ghost is Gone” brings the story of either a close friend dying or a really, really terrible breakup. The song transforms into an epic feel as pounding drums and distorted power chords come in. A melodic guitar plays a heart wrenching yet simple solo before the song calms down to make it’s shattering finish. Fans will be wishing the record continued on longer.
The record flows well from start to finish. Each song blends into the next, getting listeners to feel and think, getting listers to feel less alone as they get lost in the music.
Overall each song on the record has a catchy bit to it. The record stands well and maybe even may become one of my favorite Get Up Kids records. The band celebrates the 20th anniversary of Something to Write Home About this year.
The Get Up Kids are one of the only bands from their time period that haven’t sold out to fit into the pop world. This record makes it clear that they are playing the type of music that they love to play and aren’t willing to change their sound to fit into the mainstream world. They aren’t out to please the industry. They are in it because they enjoy the music and they appreciate their loyal fan base. The Get Up Kids are still at. We are certain that all of their fans will enjoy this record from top to bottom!
Listen to “Problems” now on Spotify:
Check out their tour dates. The band is currently on tour in Europe playing Germany tonight.
Note: All photos are pulled from The Get Up Kids facebook page.
Written by Ryan Cassata (instagram)