While Up For Nothing has apparently been around since 2002, this is my first exposure. It’s interesting to learn about a band after listening on repeat, as I had the impression they were young ‘uns. They should take that as a compliment. Rather than sounding jaded, it sounds vibrant.
Up For Nothing is a punk band from Brooklyn. The style is familiar: melodic punk with whoa-oh choruses. Early thoughts had me putting it somewhere in a Banner Pilot meets Bouncing Souls realm, but it was missing something. Those connections are more subtle, while there was a tip-of-my-finger more obvious comparison I couldn’t place. On about my tenth listen, I had that aha! moment: there is a similarity to Plow United. Even though the songs are pop in structure, there is a forceful edge as Justin Conigliaro belts out the vocals.
This record is really about guitar and vocals in how its mixed. The guitar leads the way and the vocals convey the emotional highs and lows. The band doesn’t waste time, kicking things off with “Incoherent,” which has a “hey! hey!” chant at 10 seconds, before we even get a verse. It’s not all that style, of course, but it sets a tone. I want to call it skatepunk-inspired because of how the guitars are mixed, but as you listen closer that’s a little misleading.
The record peaks in the middle. “Mistakes” is a catchy pop singalong, followed by “Cigarettes and Ash,” with a dramatic guitar lead and a pleading, emotional tone. “Pinched Nerves” has a heavy drum punch with a strong build-up and then the classic breakdown/bridge at the two-thirds mark, rising into more “Hey! Hey! Heys!”. I’d describe Up For Nothing as poppy, but with more variety. It doesn’t have that stomping rhythm of hardcore, but “Sooner or Later” and “Goldbrick” are pretty much hardcore songs without the posturing. “Pinched Nerve” takes that same influence and meets the singalong skatepunk-ish style in the middle. And then there’s also a walking Cali-style bassline throughout. It’s predictable but not so by-the-book.
Fans of fast, singalong punk will find a lot to enjoy on this record. It feels fun and cathartic, with a bit of deeper meaning if you listen to the words. But, for the astute readers here, I’ve namedropped a lot of comparison bands for a reason. I enjoy Escape Route but it also feels very familiar. The energy is real, but something about it just doesn’t move the needle for me. I suspect it’s really a mood-driven band and if I hear this at the right time or place my perspective will change. Hopefully I get a chance to see them live and experience that. For now, I’ll put this in the “good not great” category.
