Chin Up Chin Up

Chin Up Chin Up

(Flameshovel / Record Label)

Record Review by Michele Fair

The cover art for Chin Up Chin Up’s self-titled EP showcases two Victorian-esque birds perched on branches against a tranquil, sky blue background. You can almost hear each bird chirping the name of the band over and over repeatedly: “Chin up!” “Chin up!” so perhaps there is an ironic twist to the band’s name. Their story goes much deeper than one might think. On Valentine’s Day 2004, the band lost their original bass player, Chris Saathoff to a drunk driver after a gig at the Empty Bottle in Chicago. His unfortunate death undoubtedly caused the band plenty of pain, and any other band of their age and caliber might have called it quits. After some careful thought alongside the passing of time, Chin Up Chin Up rose from the ashes and reissued this EP of previously recorded material, along with a couple of remixes.

The self-titled release combines the one-two punch of Q and Not U with the tenderness of The Promise Ring. This is not necessarily an album, but more of a conglomeration of songs that seemed to be anxiously waiting in the wings for exposure while the band was temporarily grinded to a halt. There is also a remix of a song that appeared on the band’s 2004 full-length debut, We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers. While the remixed version is structurally sound and the basic backbone still remains, the original version was much more solid with a heck of lot more drive. The remix is a little too synth-based, leaving fans feeling slightly empty, devoid of the forceful bounce of the original. Of course, Chin Up Chin Up are not lacking in the musical department on this album; there are plenty of insightful moments with creative keyboard work and thoughtful songwriting.

Chin Up Chin Up certainly has some intriguing song titles, like “Fuck You, Elton John,” “The Soccer Mom Gets Her Fix,” and “Falconz and Vulcanz.” With such complex names, one might think the band was poised to shock and confuse. In reality, this album is smooth, with minimal bumps along the road that might encourage the listener to rewind and replay for clarity’s sake. That kind of simplicity may be reserved for die-hard fans only. The vocals twist and sway from a quiet determined tone to an almost David Byrne type of wail. All in all, Chin Up Chin Up have a lot to look forward to, while still keeping in touch with the ghosts from their past.