The F-Ups

(Capitol)
by Jessica Parker

Hey, remember high school? Here’s the soundtrack for the latest generation, the new millennium’s Blink-182, if you will. The F-Ups bring us fast, pumping pop punk about having to go to school, dealing with parents, and, of course, awkward sexual situations. Though apparently just out of high school, the four band members at least know how to play their instruments. Lead vocalist Travis Allen, who also writes the songs and plays guitar, has a deep enough voice to not make me draw comparisons to the nasally vocals of other teen pop punker like Tom DeLonge (Blink-182) or Jordan Pundik (New Found Glory). However, Allen also wrote the song “Screw You” when he was 13, and its lyrics are just a little bit immature for the older-sounding Allen. But, hey, aren’t those guys from Blink, like, 35? Very catchy and upbeat, the F in F-Ups might as well stand for “fun.”
(www.capitolrecords.com)