Just a few months after releasing their debut album, She’s Gone, L.A. punk rock girl group Upset is back with a new single. “Linus” is upbeat and fun, backed with an energetic guitar line that never strays from the band’s punk roots.
Upset frontwoman Ali Koehler already has two solid groups behind her; before forming Upset, she was the drummer for both Vivian Girls and Best Coast. Koehler says she turned her feelings about her departure from Best Coast into Upset’s first album, and many of the songs’ lyrics convey a wide range of emotions. Hole’s Patty Schemel is also in the group, having reportedly met Koehler on Twitter after she left Best Coast. Last fall, the group released a parody of Soul Asylum’s 1993 “Runaway Train” video, called “You and I,”.
“Linus” is energetic and full of life, with the rich guitar sounds that make pop punk so much fun to listen to. Upset has been compared to 90’s girl groups like Veruca Salt and it’s easy to see why; they have a sophisticated, but grungy guitar sound that puts them in line with alternative rock bands from the era. But they also have a sound that’s distinctly modern, moving the pop punk style into the 21st century and putting them at the forefront of the things girl groups are trying with their music today.
In addition to releasing “Linus,” Upset will spend a few weeks in June touring Australia and New Zealand with punk band White Lung. You can hear “Linus,” below.
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