MIDDLE CLASS RUT – Pick Up Your Head

Label: Bright Antenna

Release Date: June 25, 2013

Rating: 8.5/10

Reviewed by: ToddStar

I have to admit, upon first listen I thought this was way outside my wheel house.  “Born Too Late” kicks in and features fuzzy guitars and vocals along with a frantic pace.  Looking beyond that, it is discovered that this just may be the new punk.  The drums lead the charge and keep the song on track.  “Leech” is more of a mainstream rock track that features a cool heavy guitar and bass line that really builds the track up.  The vocals are well suited for the track.  The slower pace allows the band to really demonstrate their abilities on this song.  “Weather Vein” has a cool tribal feel to it that grabs your attention and keeps you engaged throughout the track.  The chorus is catchy and the rhythm gets the toe tapping whether writing a review or preparing a tax return.  “No More” is another solid track that really helps show the bands ability to create a cool vibe while changing the direction from other tracks on a disc.  The song features all of the cool parts of other tracks and blends them together on this song.  “Cut The Line” has a different vibe from the beginning.  The vocals are cool and are placed over a minimal amount of music until after the first break.  The song is catchy and should go over well in a live setting.  “Sing While You Slave” opens with a killer groove and drums that really grab your attention.  The song moves nicely along and keeps the spirit of the disc alive with its sound effects, fuzzy guitar, and vocals that really stand out.  “Dead Eye” is different from other tracks and adds depth to the disc by giving us something different.  The vocals are killer and play well against the guitars and drums.  The song really builds on everything that came before it on the disc.  This is hands down one of my favorite tracks.

“Pick Up Your Head” brings us full circle to the fusion and minimalist sounds of the opening track and others like “Cut The Line.”  This track uses more percussion than other tracks, but is still similar to the other tracks in origin and sound.  “Police Man” has a heavier groove to it that helps set this apart from other tracks.  The sound is similar with the fuzzy vocals and guitar as well as the rhythmic feel of the drums, but the bottom end of the track seems more full than on other tracks.  “You Don’t Belong” is different from anything else here, in that is seems to be driven more by speed than rhythm.  The song is not unlike others on the disc.  While most of the songs are like long distance runners, this one is a sprinter.  The drums are working overtime to keep the song on the track while the vocals lead the race.  “Aunt Betty” encompasses everything about this disc that is good and wraps it in in a nice package, much like “No More” did earlier on the disc.  This track keeps everything at a slower pace and builds nicely at the bridge.  “Take A Shot” is a song that really adds to the disc.  The fuzzy guitars, vocals, and drums are much like every other track, but the really slow tempo and lower vocals add an ethereal feel to the track that is new on this disc.  This is a nice book end for the disc.  Depending on which version of the disc you pick up you  may get a couple bonus tracks: “I Need To Know” and “Nothin’.”  I really recommend you make the effort to grab a version with the bonus tracks, if only for the cool cover of the Petty classic “I Need To Know.”  This is a cool reworking that combines the magic of the track with the best parts of MCR.

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Category: CD Reviews