Packing 14 tracks of quality skacore into their first release on Total Sellout Records, $up could easily fill the gap vacated by various bands as the UK’s premier exponents of fast, frantic melodic hardcore backed up by some inventive horn lines. They’re not the most groundbreaking of bands, but what they lack in prog leanings they more than compensate for in energy and catchy tunes. And anyway, their melding of ska and frantic metallic punk is nothing short of thrilling to hear.
Older tracks like ‘Adult Nation’ and ‘Critix’ still stand up as fantastically effective skacore tracks that are layered with hooks and melodic nooks and crannys that become more and more evident on repeated listening. While $up aren’t exactly what one might call cerebral, they know how to craft solid songs, as demonstrated by ‘Psycho Bitch’ and new track ‘High or Dry?’. The newer material leans more on Mark and Phildo’s almost-metallic guitars for the main drive, but Will’s sax still manages to kick things into the big leagues. One of $up’s best weapons is the way the sax doesn’t just subtitle the main vocal lines, instead choosing to provide another focus while the guitars crash and crunch around it.
Vocalist Shaun’s distinctive style also helps $up to step away from the crowd. Pitched halfway between a growl and a shout, he makes ‘Unoriginals’ sound both sleazy and heavy at the same time. It’s unfortunately one of the least memorable tracks but is still listenable, and this characterises some of ‘Gimme 6’ – even when they’re not firing on all cylinders $up are still hugely entertaining to listen to, such is their unimpeachable vitality. If you like ska but don’t like metal or vice versa you really should be checking $up out, because they’re one of the country’s most accomplished bands.
Ben
www.sup-site.co.uk
www.totalselloutrecords.com
