Lighten Up (Philadelphia, P.A.)
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Absolutely Not CD / LP (Jump Start Records)
Release Date: January 26, 2010
01. Invisible Checks
02. Reality World
03. Bet II
04. Negative Equity
05. Bozy II Wolves
06. Born to Perspire
07. Life on Earth (mp3)
08. Dolphins are Sharks With a Good Publicist
09. Butt-Speak (mp3)
10. I Don’t Think So, Tim
11. Absolutely Not
12. Personality Implants
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The latest and greatest in a long line of amazing hardcore bands from the city of Brotherly Love, Lighten Up wastes no time on its rip-roaring debut full-length, Absolutely Not, unapologetically punching listeners in the face as soon as the needle hits the wax. The Philadelphia four-piece blows through 12 frenetic tracks in a mere 17 minutes without a second wasted, perfectly fusing break-neck tempos and infectious melodies with an evident nod to the pissed off aesthetic of 80′s punk and hardcore.
Mining a similar vein as hometown brethren None More Black – or progenitors such as Minor Threat, Bad Brains and even The Descendents – Lighten Up relentlessly attacks your senses from every angle. Songs such as opener “Invisible Checks” and the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it “Boyz II Wolves” (featuring None More Black’s Colin McGinniss) explode with galloping guitars and pummeling rhythms, tearing through an endless supply of razor-sharp riffs and shout-along anthems as if it were the end of days. The dozen barnstormers on Absolutely Not are virtually guaranteed to incite bouts of stage diving and a general disregard for bodily well-being from all but the most stoic of hardcore fans.
Front man Perry Shall is impressive to say the least, combing wit, struggle and a general sense of contempt in both his biting lyrics and emphatic delivery. “Butt Speak” is literally about people talking out of their asses, while “Life On Earth” pretty much advocates the extermination of the human race. Although Lighten Up’s musical approach is fueled by humor, a desire to have fun and let off some steam – even the band’s name suggests a tongue in cheek view of the hardcore scene – the subject matter seems to center around Shall being fed up with just about everyone, including himself. One thing is for sure – Lighten Up is his anger release valve (just listen to “Born To Perspire”) and Absolutely Not is all the better for it.
There is a palpable urgency and heftiness to Absolutely Not, but Lighten Up has the ability to transition between dissonant noise and tightly wound, concussive instrumental blasts to downright catchy melodies and toe-tapping rhythms without missing a step. Certainly not an affair for the faint of heart or the hipster set, the record’s underlying foundations still manage to be universally appealing. In the same time it takes to cook a frozen pizza, Absolutely Not crams more energy, indignation and memorable hooks into an album’s worth of hardcore punk awesomeness than most bands do over the course of their entire discography.
- Drew Magid
Absolutely Not was recorded by Will Yip (Blacklisted, The Starting Line, Anuerysm Rats) at The Music Shop. The record was released on 12″ and CD formats in the US on January 26 by Jump Start Records and in Europe by Ass-Card Records (www.asscardrecords.com). First pressing of 300 comes on aqua blue vinyl and includes a digital download coupon for the entire LP. For more information, go to www.myspace.com/lightenuphardcore, www.jumpstartrecords.com or www.beartrappr.com/lighten-up.
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Press Contact: Chuck Daley / Beartrap PR / chuck@beartrappr.com (704) 649-7128
