Rip it Up are four geordie lads playing fast disgruntled hardcore punk. Think the 80′s. Think Minor Threat, think bad brains, think Beastie Boys. But don’t think they’re another band that completely rips them off. I’ve been really in to Rip It Up for the past year or so and have been eagerly anticipating this release.
Give kicks off with the foot firmly on the accelerator. Its stop/start and overly malicious. Mark has got his skate punk vocals off to a tee. Towards the end the song descends in to a mellower, more melodic version without taking away any of the speed and aggression.
Formerly Darn Crooks is more straight forward to the previous song. Volant bass solos flutter through the track to add the energy like a rabbit during mating season.
The third track is a fairly old one. Poser Disposer. Its slightly longer than the original. Take everything good about Fast Point’s early stuff and you have Poser Disposer, a song about following the crowd and not thinking for yourself.
jazz Stripe sound like a return to the split with Black Wolves. Its more melodic than the other tracks but not the shit kind of melodic hardcore that everyone seems to be in to lately.
The outro track is firmly Bad Brains influenced 1:37 of dub. Distant drumming and a floating bass riff rides over the pacifying guitar.
All in all this EP is very very good. With so many good hardcore bands splitting up recently, its a good job that Rip It Up are stamping their authority on the scene. Expect them in a basement, community centre and abandoned warehouse near you soon.
