The Get Up Kids Album: “On a Wire”

First of all, it saddens me to see so many people ripping this album apart. While I appreciate a band's connection and obligation to its fans, the band has to be allowed to move in whatever direction their inspiration takes them. Who is the random fan from Nowhere, USA to tell Matt, "That's not what you are passionate about, write something better!" Get off these guys backs and let them write and play what they want to. If you don't like the direction the band is going, don't buy their CD's. It's your right as a consumer just as producing unique albums is their right as a band. Anyway, On A Wire is my personal favorite GUK CD. Yes, for all those that are skeptical of my level of devotion, I do own all of their CD's and have seen them live multiple times in different stages of the band's career. It is a stylistic departure from their previous work. Rhythmically there is more variation in here than in previous works where a quick driving beat was prevelant. The acoustic songs (Overdue and Campfire Kansas) are incredibly beautiful and flowing. Though they won't start a pit, they might actually evoke real emotion, not that I'm labeling the band emo or anything so utterly inexcusable. Walking on a Wire is possibly one of the most powerful songs I've ever heard live. When I first got the CD, I kind of glossed over it. When you hear it in a small club with the sound pulsing through you, the crecendo over the last minute or so is simply moving. While I didn't mention any of the other songs, there is no filler here. I'll finish with that and a disclaimer: Listen to it a bunch of times. It grew on me, it might do the same for you. If you don't like it, fine but at least give it a shot.

**** I hate "punks" a band tries something new and you cry over it. "Man, some of these songs sound like old 70's stuff your mom and papa used to listen to." Yeah Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Pink Floyd own your pathetic soul. Like all GOOD bands The Get Up Kids decided not to do STWHA part 2, If I wanted to listen to something that sounded like STWHA I'd listen to that damn album. I'm glad The Get Up Kids tried something new, and if you give this album a chance you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Sure it's a little more mellow, but in the past, The Get Up Kids punkier songs were not their forte, with On A Wire they stick to what they do best, pop songs. And are these pop songs good. Overdue, Wish You Were Here, Walking on a Wire, they whole album is excellent if you listen to it with an open mind.

I just bought this cd recently, after going to the store to get 'a four minute mile.' They didn't have it, so I got this instead. Now, I am pleasently suprised by it. It has a bunch of great songs with great lyrics, and I can not think of one song I do not like, Though the title track is probably the weakest.

The singer his a great voice and its not annoying or nasaly, which is what most bands today have. THe highlight tracks of the album are:

Stay Gone

Fall From Grace

High as the Moon

The Worst Idea

Campfire Kansas

althought I love all the songs. Great album, highly reccomended.

I don't know what's with all the complaining about this album. I am a long-time get-up kids fan, and I think this was a great album for them. It showed immenses artistic depth, a great amount of atmosphere, and very solid songwriting through-out. Unfortunately, they only made one VERY different album after this, and then they broke up on the 4th of July. Definetly my favorite song is Walking on a Wire.

I guess you could complain that it's not like anything else the Get Up Kids have done, and you'd be right. But, with a CD this perfect, that's not a bad thing. You can't be a whiny 20 year old who can't get girls for your entire life. This CD shows maturity that the band has never embraced, and that may be hard for some to accept, but it makes for one hell of an album.