The Scrub Ups Drop A Genre-Blending LP
The latest album release from The Scrub Ups most certainly portrays a colorful and sort of warm-toned ska-punk style, with some instrumentation you just don't expect. This is a record that gleefully blends folk and Americana along the way, and in doing so, reads as something that feels like a unique blend of approaches.
One of my favorite aspects about this record is its energy, by far. This has an amazing energy to it, to the point where the whole thing feels almost like a live performance that you're watching.
The synergy between the players is outstanding, and it helps feed into that energy level that becomes super infectious along the way.
The record is called Thought Bubbles, and right off the bat, you have the first track, "Unlove You," which boasts that upbeat ska-punk feel, chanting, repeating choruses, and addictive approaches that bounce around in your brain for hours after the song has ended.
The song features all kinds of amazing acoustic instrumentation that blends in with that ska approach brilliantly but also, once again, gives off some of that Southern undertone.
I feel like this is my favorite aspect of the whole thing.
I don't think I've quite heard a record that blends classic ska-punk with that sort of Southern Americana and country tonality. For example, there are the classic elements of ska throughout the record, and that goes without saying. However, you also have banjo, melodica, mandolin, lap or pedal steel—I can never quite tell which one's which, but you know what I'm talking about.
Those are instruments that you hear mostly in roots, folk, or Americana-style songs, so the way they bring this together is brilliant.
The record comes through colorfully and with an outrageously vivacious approach.
"The ScrubUp" is probably one of my favorite tracks on the record, as it gives off that high-octane sort of vibe, and you hear things like slide guitars along with the bopping and righteous ska approach.
Songs like "Jezebel" also absolutely bring out that massive chorus and hook that sticks with you, but also have a great time signature and rhythm to them, blending electric guitars with banjo to create something really cool.
It feels like two different worlds colliding, but it works damn near perfectly.
I think it's pretty cool how elements of that acoustic instrumentation, like mandolin or banjo, complement the guitars and robust vocals the way they do.
The vocals are quite big and boisterous. You have great melodies coming through, but they're belting out a lot of the time. This helps portray that classic punk energy.
Another thing about this record is that almost every single song is fully danceable. It gets your body moving. It makes you want to get out there and dance around the living room.
It's sort of a feel-good record in that sense. It's all about rhythms, flavorful textures and tones coming together, and just building this unique sort of atmosphere that feels like it's all their own.
"I Get Mad" hits with a theatrical overtone, especially with these big, animated vocals coming through. It feels like you're watching the scene of a play. I really dig this as well because it's sort of action-packed, surprising, and still features all kinds of cool instrumentation that lets the song sort of breathe between those vocal chunks.
This band certainly knows how to arrange a song. There's a lot of attention to the little details and arrangements of a lot of these tracks, and I fully suggest listening to this entire record from start to finish all at once.
It's not exactly a concept record, but it almost is.
It feels that way. It feels like the songs interconnect with each other and serve almost like chapters.
So, if you're looking for something that is a little outside the box, this is it. That collision of ska-punk with Southern instruments, still keeping horns and guitars well in place, but bringing in those pedal steels, mandolins, banjos, and even melodica, is definitely unique.
Melodica in itself is such an interesting instrument. It's got a very particular tone to it. It's technically a wind instrument that you blow into while you play the keys.
So cool.
This was just a really fun record that was unafraid to really branch out and build something a little different, very special, and full-on infectious.
So, check this out, and while you do, dig into our interview with the band below.
Don't forget where you heard this first.
Thought Bubbles | The Scrub Ups Bandcamp
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