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And Nothing is #1 is one
of the more understated albums of 2002. For being such
a great album, coupled with the fact that it’s
a debut, I was surprised not to see more press coverage.
While it shouldn’t surprise me, since I myself
sat on it for a few months, I still feel as strongly
today as I did after my first listen.
Up Up Down Down… blend elements
of harder emo such as Hot Water Music and Small Brown
Bike with the indolence of bands like Hum. If one thing
stands out right away, it’s that these guys can
sing. The vocals are shared; one effortlessly hits all
the right notes while the other occasionally yells with
great intensity. The next realization is that these
guys can play. Acoustic guitar, occasional piano and
strings mesh well with the powerful drums and distorted
guitars; time changes and complex rhythms are commonplace.
It’s difficult to pin their sound
because they blend so many styles. Elements of punk,
metal, emo, shoegazer and math are combined with stellar
results, and nothing sounds out of place. They are excellent
musicians but their modesty is just cool. And Nothing
is #1 is the result of four years of hard work by four
guys who sound as if they were born to play music together,
and it is definitely worth seeking out.
Although this CD is a year old, it was
brought to my attention becuase it is getting re-released
on OHEV records in a month or so. Up Up Down.. play
a compelling style of hugely indie rock that is influenced
by the very roots of the genre. Akin to an obvious Sunny
Day Real Estate influence, the band takes what SDRE
did and adds their own twist: a little spice on the
vocals.
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