Local Reviews: The Hung Ups

The Hung Ups
Self-Titled
Self-Released
Street: 07.15.10
The Hung Ups = The Descendents + Guttermouth
(First and foremost, I need to apologize to The Hung Ups for not getting to this album in time: I’ve played with these guys and they’re fucking awesome. Hands down, they deliver pissy-yet-poppy punk rock that’s in your face with no compromises. All these members have been in the Salt Lake/Utah scene for years now, and they really know how to fuck shit up. Sorry guys, have a round on me. On to the review.) The Hung Ups’ self-titled release hearkens back to the simple pop punk stylings of The Descendents with songs dealing with skating, girls and all-American pizza pies. Whether it’s atop the slower tempo of “Ritchie Valens” or the three-chord progressions in “Fucked Up Future,” vocalist Josh Recker belts out scratchy melodies that seem neither overly-sentimental nor coarse beyond the point of general listen-ability. Somehow, Recker remains punk as fuck with lines like “She never answers when I call” in “She’s Stupid,” even as he maintains a sincere approach to punk rock with classic themes: “Wanna bomb that big-ass hill/I wanna grind that perfect rail.” Drummer Chris Farnworth kicks out solid beats while guitarists Chuck Roberts and Tyler Sisson construct catchy melodies and rhythms that provide an upbeat feel for the release. The Hung Ups end the album solidly with the fast and pist “Crisis at the Pizza Store,” which raises the mundane trauma of everyday work-life to a reason to circle pit.