Get Up Kids - "Kicker EP"

Kansas City Emo legends The Get Up kids since the late 90's have been defining the Pop Punk and Emo sound.  They made their debut in 1997 with the short "Four Minute Mile" album.  Now, this album isn't perfect, and it's a little rough around the edges at times.  But right off the bat it was clear that not only could The Get Up Kids write a very catchy, punky tune, but ones that were filled with emotions.  Tracks like "No Love" and "Don't Hate Me" were just so infectious, and while in parts I wish this album was a little cleaner, this was a solid start for the band.  However, in 1999 they knocked it out of the park with 1999's "Something to Write Home About".  This was an instant Punk and Emo classic, with cleaner production and MUCH sharper writing.  Everything about this album was so ahead of its time.  Sure, Emo had been around for years with bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and American Football.  But Get Up Kids brought and instantaneous feel to these sounds that was so refreshing for the time.  From instant Punk classics like "Red Letter Day" or "Ten Minutes", to emotional ballads like "Valentine" or "Out of Reach", this album was incredibly solid. Now, for me sadly, Get Up Kids never really returned to that level of greatness.  2002's "On A Wire" certainly had great moments, like the dreamy "Walking On A Wire" or the fantastic opener "Overdue".  But a lot of the tracks here were way too polished.  And in the case of tracks like "High As The Moon", it resulted in some very awkward moments.  The Get Up Kids returned in 2004 with "Guilt Show", an album that's even cleaner and awkward, and honestly has aged terribly.  Tracks like "Holy Roman" and "Martyr Me" while still squeaky clean Punk singles,  are probably the least of my worries here.  The rest of this album is unbearably cheesy at times, with tracks like "The One You Want" being legitimately baffling.  Pop Punk is one thing, but these tracks didn't have a single bit of passion to save their lives.   The Get Up Kids then took some time off, and returned in 2011 with "There Are Rules".  And honestly, I don't completely hate this album.  Sure, the songwriting isn't nearly as captivating or as catchy, and you can occasionally hear just how unfocused they were by this point.  But at the very least this album had some Punk energy, and the band just seemed to at least be playing with a little passion again.  So it's been 7 years since Get Up Kids have released any material.  But from the sound of some of these singles, they actually sound great.  I'm actually really excited to chat about this EP, let's do it!

This EP starts off with “Maybe”, and right off the bat I love just how filled with energy and genuinely catchy this is.  Instantly, I feel like this is just so much more confident, and the direction they should have started going in with their “Guilt Show” album.  It’s still Emo at heart, but it’s much more adult, and Emo for an older audience.  And most of all, it’s not whiny, and sounds like where they should be 20 years after their breakthrough. Hell, this instrumental is even a little heavy, heavier than anything on “There Are Rules” that’s for sure.  And not to mention, these vocals are emotional and seriously powerful, I haven’t heard Matt Pryor sounding this great in years.  This EP is off to a good start.  Now, “Better This Way” is a little grungier.  And honestly, I’m not as up in arms about this one.  Sure the band are still in much better shape than they were 10 years ago. But with Matt off vocal during here it takes things down a few notches.  Because this performance is a fraction of how exciting and passionate as the last one was.  It’s not like, the worst thing I’ve heard lately in Emo, but I’ve heard so much better from these guys.  Also this track isn’t nearly as youthful, and they sound a little winded.  On the other hand, “I’m Sorry” is a legitimate Punk tune and it sounds awesome.  Also, I really love the focus not the synths coming from James Dewees, something I always feel like they dropped the ball on in the past.  This one is determined, spunky, and has some really great energy.  And this chorus boys, this could have landed on one of the band’s early albums easily.  “I’m Sorry” sounds a whole lot better than it should.  This EP ends off with “My Own Reflection”, and this one is a little more stripped back and not nearly as filled with energy.  But the vocals on all fronts are sounding really fantastic and emotional, and continue to stay away from how whiny this could have been. The pianos are epic, the synths are solid, and as a band, I’m impressed with just how unified they sound.  This is a smooth EP with a great sound that gives me a lot of hope for future releases not only from Get Up Kids, but other bands from this era.

Rating: 7.4/10

Genre: Emo / Pop Punk


Overall Thoughts:  This may be a short, 11 minute EP from a group of guys who haven't put out a decent album in 17 years.  But these 4 tracks here are literally some of the best tracks they've written since their "Something To Write Home About" breakthrough.  They don't sound like a group of whiny old men that are trying to be cool again, they honestly sound where they should be at this point in their career.  These tracks are pretty emotional, and for a band who hasn't released material in like 10 years, they sound unified.  This isn't a perfect EP, and it's probably not going to make any year-end lists.  But, hey, it'll give you some hope for the future of one of Pop punk and Emo's greatest acts.