The Ups and Downs reflect for me a particular era in the inner city of Sydney in the late eighties when on every street corner on every night of the week you could catch incredible bands like The Triffids, The Church, The Go-Betweens, Died Pretty and many more plying their trade in the plethora of deliciously grungy venues. Ups & Downs were regulars on this scene, and their sound was epitomised by the soaring track ‘The Living Kind’, and, along with bands like The Crystal Set, The Moffs, and Le Hoodoo Gurus (to some extent) were part of a psychedelic paisley-clad jingle jangle explosion.
And just like a fine wine, many of these bands are back, fully matured and as exciting and tasty as ever. In 2024, Ups and Downs returned to the live scene to celebrate their 40th year anniversary, releasing a compilation of their releases. And now, they release their first new material in ten years, the single ‘Out of Thin Air’ and, as I always say, proving once again that creativity has no use by date. It is the first taster from their forthcoming EP ‘Radio Is Dead’ which will be released physically and digitally on Basketcase Records, distributed internationally by Redeye Worldwide.
The song jangles of course – it’s a reflective, yearning track that sparkles with crystalline guitars that shimmer like the sunlight off the ocean.
A wonderful return for sure:
‘Out of Thin Air’ is out now and available to stream and download in all the usual places and through the link be low:
Ups and Downs will head out again in October to commemorate the 40th birthday of their acclaimed mini-album Sleepless, as well as the new EP. Details and tickets below.
QLD
Fri 2nd Oct Crowbar Brisbane, Fortitude Valley https://crowbarbrisbane.com/
Sat 3rd Oct Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba (Gold Coast) https://wallabyhotel.com.au/
NSW
Fri 9th Oct Crowbar Sydney, Leichhardt https://crowbarsyd.com/
Sat 10th Oct Hamilton Station Hotel, Newcastle https://www.thehamiltonstationhotel.com/
