The Get Up Kids - ThereAre Rules

Thu 17th Mar, 2011 in Music Reviews

In an interview in 2009, The Get Up Kids guitarist Jim Suptic expressed his disconnection to the current trend of ‘emo’, saying, “If this is the world we helped create, then I apologise.”

Back when the band was in their heyday, the term ‘emo’ meant something rather different. Along with bands like Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional, The Get Up Kids were at the forefront of a more stylistic musical movement, one that was derived from the core sounds of hardcore punk and punctuated with more melodic vocals and ‘emotional’ lyrics. And whether they identify with the banner term or not, their pinnacle, influential album Something To Write Home About, is considered a classic of the genre.

Perhaps it is this disassociation with this so called “glam rock”/”sea of neon”-inspired scene that inspired the direction the band has taken with their most recent album. There Are Rules is the band’s first full length record since their disbandment in 2004 (and subsequent reformation after their 10 year anniversary Something To Write Home About reunion tour in 2009).

But before you start celebrating, take note: this may not be the Get Up Kids album you are expecting. You can hear the hallmarks of the band – most notably the more pop structured sounds they left us with their last album Guilt Show – but with this new release they have taken a complete left turn.

Nobody was expecting “90s emo: the second coming”, but There Are Rules sometimes feels like a complete defiance of their roots. It starts promisingly enough – Tithe is a bombastic opener, thanks to its furious, heavy riffage and screamy chorus. But then it descends into a pastiche of overused synths and borrowed sounds. In Shatter Your Lungs , it feels like the band can’t decide whether it should be psychedelic, tropical or ‘80s pop, and leading single Automatic sees the band dive into full electro-pop territory with its sweeping synth pads.

If there is one album highlight, it is the jangly and dense Keith Case, which beneath the droning layers of distortion actually has one of the few memorable vocal hooks in the whole album. But the rest – a merciless 14 tracks worth – is just a mishmash of unmemorable songs and confusing styles.

With a band with such a significant and rich history, it is hard to resent The Get Up Kids for moving forward in their musical direction. But listening to There Are Rules, you get the distinct feeling that the band knew they wanted to go somewhere, but were unsure of where. Knowing what this band is capable of, its hard to shake the sad feeling that perhaps they should have just stayed broken up.