Up For Nothing – Escape Route

By RingMaster Review on July 24, 2022 • ( 0 )

Six years away and US punksters UP FOR NOTHING have learned nothing about manners. Back from their hiatus the band has just uncaged new album Escape Route, an intrusive and belligerent slab of pop punk with the intent to use the listener as its rag doll puppet and physical punch bag. Quite simply it demanded no seized attention with unruly authority and provided one gloriously rousing incitement.

Made up of Justin Conigliaro, Josh Gaon, Steven Calco and Tom Sobolow, the Brooklyn-based band has always made a potent statement for keen attention since dropping their first album in 2008, but rejuvenated and seemingly hungrier than ever, it is fair to say that UP FOR NOTHING have not made as rich an impact on personal instincts and pleasure as they now do with Escape Route.

Unsurprisingly, their sound continues to embrace the familiar essences of pop punk and the feral discontent of punk rock, a touch of [SPUNGE] meets HAGFISH arising at times, but the roar is distinctly theirs and enterprise defiantly individual and in full surge as album opening Incoherent lustily proves.

Straight away it dangles one of the band’s devious hooks in front of ears, raising its galvanic energy and breath simultaneously to swiftly burst into one foot stomping, melodically inciting and fiercely manipulative proposition. It sets the tone and adrenaline for the release, successor Sick Of The World just as insatiable in its virulence and demanding in its addictiveness.

Whether argumentative and confronting while contemplating wide and intimate issues or simply being mischievous the album got under the skin, personal peaks coming in the likes of the album’s creatively flirtatious title track, the punk voracity that is Sooner or Later, and Bad Person with its cauldron of hooks and melodic wiring, the song an untamed symphony of virulence.

Fair to say though no breath passed without the album orchestrating our eager appetite, Mistakes and punk ‘n’ roller Goldbrick sharing no restraint in their temptation loaded trespass with the attention greedy exploits of Pinched Nerves and Forty Miles just as addictive. It is a trait we can honestly wrap all tracks in with the closing acoustic rumination of Pine Barrens just as enlivening.

Escape Route is a prime rib punk rock and UP FOR NOTHING back more creatively cunning than ever.