I’ve always used music to channel my feelings and emotions often at a visceral level. Growing up in a fundamentalist Pentecostal church, a lively worship service could literally spark an emotional reaction from the congregation. The punk, emo, and hardcore I enjoyed in my 20s helped me channel my feelings as I departed the belief systems of my youth. My wife and I fell in love to ‘00s indie rock that rejected cynicism and embraced the heart. Even now, the music my kid and I connect over most is the stuff that makes us both feel in our souls and our soles.
It’s no wonder I’m a sucker for the music of Drunk Uncle.
Created by four dudes in Austin, TX, Look Up both kicks major ass and gives me major feels. Released on Count Your Lucky Stars, this eleven-song album gives me everything I want from emo in 2022. It connects the dots between Small Brown Bike, The Rentals, Hotelier, and The Blamed with unbelievable dexterity. The songs also provide lots of funky vibes that should push the genre forward.
The album veritably bursts with fantastic ideas. Audio snippets, multimedia, horns, keys, and discordant rock are welded together in ways that feel organic and never jolting. The quartet displays an amazing capacity for textures, pacing, and flow. They know how to adjust the speed and grooves in ways that hold you close while giving your feelings plenty of room.
On the surface, Look Up will feel very comfy to people who have experience with the genre. You’ll instantly connect with common musical hallmarks like swirling guitar arpeggios, rasping sing-scream vocals, and melodic bass phrasing. However, the ramshackle energy of the drumming really sells the overall effect. That turn-on-a-dime precision and penchant for syncopation showcases an outstanding grasp of tension and dynamics.
The album kicks into high gear from the get-go.
“Tiny Sounds” goes immediately for the jugular. Gang voices and snaking guitar lines dance with clattering snare claps and robust bass licks to send you into sensory overload. “Get to the Moon” begins with 40 seconds of tenderly plucked guitar phrases only to explode into aggrieved vocals, twinkling xylophone, and earnest mid-tempo emo. The genius of this tune lies in how Drunk Uncle deftly builds drama without going overboard while keeping you on the edge of your seat.
On “Punch,” the band starts out with a warm acoustic moment. It’s the sort of vibe that would be perfect around a campfire – or to slow down the live set a moment. The song then slowly increases in intensity by weaving together rich textures that aren’t classically emo but totally fits the album’s aesthetic. “Morning Shower” delivers that vintage two-guitar emo feel with counterpoint guitar licks atop a bevy of full-throated vocals.
The title track brings the project to a stirring close close. It connects the varied sonic fishing lines the band cast over 11 songs, especially its off-kilter instrumentation. More importantly, it keeps its eyes on the horizon while patiently trudging toward a well-earned blue sky catharsis.
It’s in that space that Drunk Uncle truly captures my attention.
After drawing me in with big guitar grooves and singalong choruses, they subtly invert what’s familiar and leave me feeling uneasy. Like all transcendent emo, this music provides the listener a safe space to explore their feelings. It can also help you recognize that life overflows with questions, doubts, and unbelief.
Let’s face facts: the world is full of aches and pains, ups and downs, trials and tribulations. But this album wants you to realize that this is a good thing! If Look Up can teach you anything, it’s that you shouldn’t be afraid of your feelings. Your emotions should be a force for good in your life, and that means facing what they want to show without wallowing in them. To that end, Drunk Uncle has created a powerful soundtrack filled with kinetic emo that will help you navigate whatever life throws your way.