You Blew It!
Grow Up, Dude
Topshelf Records (2012)
Sounds Like: A throwback to the 90s emo era with a hint of pop-punk
Score: 10/10
You Blew It!’s newest album, Grow Up, Dude is refreshing because it reminds me that you don’t need a show-off producer or really intricate effects to make a lasting impression on someone, all you need is some nice musicianship and a relatable message. From the funky bass lines to the guitar licks that seem to tip-toe across the tracks, this is a buffet for your ears.
If you’ve never had the chance to listen to You Blew It!, try giving “Medal of Honor” a spin. It’s the clear, yet raspy vocals and the mellow tone of the music that will catch your attention. A lot of songs on the album show this form, but each have a unique quality about them. For example, “Pinball House” is a quicker track and boasts one of the best choruses I’ve heard lately. “I was home, incomplete though/Wouldn’t let you help so I never saw in you, what you saw in me, all along.” I especially like the vocals on this song, especially in this hook. They seem a bit more distant and spacey, almost a gang-vocal, but not quite.
“The One With Marc” makes a strong case for best song on the album with its mellow tempo that fades into a sort of woozy vocal passage. But if there’s a gun to my head, “Terry V. Tori” is the best song, based solely on its immediate catchiness and ability to take you on a trip back to the 90’s emo era. This album recalls Algernon Cadwallader and Cap’N’Jazz, but with more of a pop-punk/indie sprinkle. “It’s not what you do, it’s who you are” says the bridge of “Terry V. Tori.” They deviate from the rest of the song’s rhythm to emphasize this telling passage. “There’s Nothing I Love More Than Baseball” ends the album on a rather aggressive note as we get to see them highlight their pop-punk edge a little bit. It’s a song about acceptance and hope ending with the line, “When will I see that superstitions won’t do anything?”
I feel like Grow Up, Dude is a bunch of poems before anything else. That’s how the lyrics flow throughout the album to me, coming together to form a simple yet addicting collection of songs. You Blew It! put together what feels like a complete piece of work that touches on every aspect of the band. You get the slow instrumentals, the silky smooth punk rock songs, and whole-hearted lyricism. I’m glad I found this, and I would urge you to get your hands on a copy.
-Felipe Garcia
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