This band are the modern day Beatles. No arguments. The Get Up Kids are a lesson in how to go about writing and performing some of the best songs that have ever been written. I could drool about how good this band are for a long, long time, but I really urge you to let their songs do the talking.
‘Eudora’ is an odds-and-sods record intended as a stop gap before the Kansas crew release their third proper studio full-length album. And if it tops 1999’s ‘Something To Write Home About’, which I personally think is impossible, then it’s going to be one hell of a cd. In the meantime there’s the small matter of this little beauty, here to remind us all just how fantastic GUK are.
I’m a little sceptical about albums released with very little new stuff. They are usually flagrant cash-ins on a bands popularity, and if I’m being honest, I suspect this is Vagrant’s reasoning behind releasing this. But when the songs are as good as these, who cares why they released it. ‘Up On The Roof’ isn’t the same song that Robson and Jerome murdered a couple of years back, thank goodness. It’s a melodic slice of emo that will have your foot tapping away before you know it. Its mix of piano, drums, guitar and wonderfully emotive vocals are just brilliant. ‘Suffragette City‘ is the David Bowie classic, given the GUK own emo makeover. And it works a treat. Infact all the cover songs here are superb in their own way.
‘Central Standard Time’ is brilliant, but was previously released on the European version of ‘Something To Write Home About’, as was ‘Forgive And Forget’. The Cure were possibly one of the first emo bands if you think about it, so it only seems right to put a GUK spin on one of their tracks. And ‘Close To Me’ is outstanding. The keyboard notes at the beginning, the repetitive drum pattern…it’s all wonderfully hypnotic.
New Order’s ‘Regret’ really hits the spot, a classic song that is actually bettered by Matt Pryor and the boys, a rare feat. It’s also the only GUK song in existence that features James Dewees on lead vocals. Unfortunately one of the highest points on the record is followed by perhaps the lowest, the disappointing ‘Beer For Breakfast’ and the drab ‘Newfound Mass [2000]’.
‘Alec Eiffel’ is a cover of The Pixies song and sees the band rock out in a way you’ve never heard before. But it works well, especially juxtaposed against the previous track. ‘Impossible Outcomes’ is another cover and this also works well after it has been given the emo treatment. But it is Motley Crue’s ‘On With The Show’ that is the absolute standout. The Ataris have previously covered this at breakneck pace, but GUK simply hammer that version into the ground. Never before has Nikki Sixx seemed so honest and sincere, as Matt Pryor belts the song out with all the emotion in the world.
Roughed-up versions of the classic ‘Ten Minutes‘, ‘Anne Arbour’, ‘I’m A Loner Dottie, A Rebel’ and ‘Shorty’ all follow with yet another cover version stuck in the middle of that juicy foursome, as this time the Kids copy Coalesce’s ‘Burned Bridges’. With a punchy opening riff it’s hard to dislike, and is another fine example of how good this band really are. The record ends with ‘The Breathing Method’, a song originally released way back in 1996. And although it starts off very slowly it suddenly explodes into life with all the ferocity usually found on a Nofx record. GUK go punk? Why not? It’s weird hearing the band go all out to rock, but in a strange kinda way it works real well.
The Get Up Kids are a backpack sporting, emo kids wet dream. You owe it to yourself to beg, steal or borrow this record and discover one of the world’s greatest ever bands.
Paul Savage