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It’s easy to walk away from something that
is, on the surface, just another rehash of everything
that people hate about the pop punk genre. It’s
even easier to crap all over it when it’s
backed by Capitol Records. But a brief conversation
with these 18-year-olds from Rochester, Minnesota,
changes everything. Soon, it becomes apparent that
success is not a spot on the TRL rotation or a hosting
gig for MTV’s new mall rock show. For The
F-Ups, the ultimate goal has always been
to put out a record and join its idols on the road
for the Warped Tour. Funny how dreams come true.
Yes it’s a sappy sentiment and it doesn’t
detract from the fact that much of The F-Ups’
self-titled debut is old hat and not quite ready
for primetime. However, real intentions and a
grounded perspective count for a lot, and it’s
clear these northern punks have a more honest
agenda than one might think.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, they
could give a shit about punk politics. They’re
just happy to be out of the house, on the road
and playing music. Most importantly, they have
plenty of time to determine their long-term direction,
and the collective attitude of the band seems
to suggest that its next effort won’t be
so complacent.
For now, we’re left to reflect on the highlights
of its current release. For starters, The F-Ups’
first LP thankfully strays from the staid boy-girl
formula and opts for a lyrical approach that,
although still sophomoric, is more in line with
traditional punk sentiment. What’s more,
the band is musically on the same page with its
teen audience, thus yielding a sound that will
clearly resonate with an important segment of
the record-buying public.
Perhaps most impressive is the cover of David
Bowie’s “All The Young Dudes.”
It’s the last track one would expect to
hear from such a young group, but the band pulls
it off without batting an eye. Certainly, it serves
as one more hint that The F-Ups might find its
voice in the near future. And a summer-long tour
with punk veterans can’t help but give the
boys a fresh perspective.
www.thefups.com
Dave Haucke, June 24, 2004
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