You Blew It!

Grow Up, Dude

The 46-second, eponymously titled opening track of Grow Up, Dude immediately sets the tone for this Orlando band’s debut full-length. Jangly guitars lead to soft-spoken vocals and the resulting outburst of “Pinball House.” You Blew It! then proceed to take the late-’90s emo formula (think Cap’n Jazz or early Promise Ring) and give it an organic, tossed-off feel that only benefits the music. If this was polished with big production, it wouldn’t be nearly as endearing. Instead, the reckless abandon of tracks such as “Medal Of Honor” and “Terry V. Tori” bring to mind hot, sweaty, echoing community halls with all the lights on, 50 kids with fists in the air and lots of bodies piling atop each other at the end of each song. If You Blew It! lose their DIY spirit, there’s not much technical prowess to carry them onward or upward, but if they’re able to keep it—along with their seemingly unwavering amounts of energy—this is the band to see this summer when they play that smelly community hall on the other side of town.

Topshelf http://www.topshelfrecords.com

“Medal Of Honor”