Album Review: The Get Up Kids - 'There Are Rules'

I’m sure that most Get Up Kids fans never thought they would see a new album released from the group. The creators of the classic ‘Something To Write Home About’ disbanded in 2005 and began a various number of new bands and solo projects. Four years later the group entered the studio with Ed Rose, who had worked with the band extensively in the past, to start recording what would become their fifth studio album ‘There Are Rules.’

Considering the diversity in the band members other projects, be it the folk sounds of front man Matt Pryor's solo work or the dance rock of James Dewees, Reggie & The Full Effect, would the new sounds branch out to encompass these various genres, or would they return to emotional charged rock of their past?

The answer, is thankfully a harder edge sound than the band's later albums and a more mature writing style than the pop-punk influence in their earlier records. While this is a step forward, there is unfortunately a severe lack of excitement in these songs rendering them suitable, but nothing to write home about (pun extremely intended).

The energetic beginnings of opener Tithe, sell the image a rejuvenated group who still have some gas in the tank. Pryor's vocals are still as whiny as all hell, but the slight distortion on his voice suits the heavy rock riff it is paired with. One of the highlights is the synth pop Shatter Your Lungs, which sounds like it may have been influenced by Dewees' Reggie, and features some very catchy vocal hooks.

Automatic is another pleasant surprise and another good example of the group's maturity as it balances its musical and vocal elements to achieve a modern version of the band's signature sound. The group have pushed the experimental electronic ideas a little bit further on this record with tracks like Rally 'Round The Fool which turns out to be a good thing, but still have a healthy dose of punk rock attitude, as in Birmingham. The record ends with classic Get Up Kids on the slightly safe, but essentially fun, Rememorable.

'There Are Rules' is a promising return for The Get Up Kids and a big step up from the two records that came before it, which shouldn't be hard to achieve, however their really isn't enough here to get people excited about this band again.

1. Tithe

2. Regent's Court

3. Shatter Your Lungs

4. Automatic

5. Pararelevant

6. Rally 'Round the Fool

7. Better Lie

8. Keith Case

9. The Widow Paris

10. Birmingham

11. When It Dies

12. Rememorable