Upbeats and Beatdowns

Upbeats and Beatdowns is the first full-length album of the band Five Iron Frenzy. It was originally released independently on November 29, 1996 before receiving a national release on April 8, 1997 on Five Minute Walk, under the SaraBellum imprint, with distribution from Warner Bros. Records.

Upbeats and Beatdowns
Studio album by
Five Iron Frenzy
ReleasedNovember 29, 1996
RecordedSeptember 2 – 10, 1996
at One Way Studio in Concord, CA
GenreChristian ska
Length47:25
LabelFive Minute Walk/Warner Bros. Records
ProducerMasaki Liu
Five Iron Frenzy chronology
It's Funny but Not Very Creative
(1996)		 Upbeats and Beatdowns
(1996)		 Our Newest Album Ever!
(1997)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Cornerstone[2]
Cross Rhythms[3]
Jesus Freak Hideout[4]
Real Magazine[5]
YouthWorker[6]

Overview

The lyrics were generally received as being "relevant and forceful;"[6] one reviewer commented that the band offered praise and worship "by the pound."[2] The first track, "Old West", begins one of many themes that would recur on the band's subsequent releases. The track is critical of the ill treatment of Native Americans in the name of Christ,[7] and the liner notes implore us to learn from the Sand Creek and Meeker Massacres.

According to the Five Iron Frenzy MySpace blog, "Milestone" is often given the title "Nintendo" due to an incorrectly named mp3 distributed on file-sharing networks.

Track listing

All music written by Scott Kerr and Dennis Culp and all lyrics written by Reese Roper, except where noted otherwise.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Old West" 2:20
2."Where Zero Meets 15"Kerr3:04
3."Cool Enough for You" 3:45
4."Anthem"Kerr2:43
5."Faking Life"lyrics: L. Ortega2:49
6."Shut Up" 0:06
7."Arnold & Willis & Mr. Drummond"Kerr2:36
8."I Feel Lucky"Kerr3:18
9."Milestone" 3:12
10."Beautiful America"Culp, Bernstein, Sondheim3:43
11."Combat Chuck" 2:09
12."Amalgamate" 2:58
13."Everywhere I Go"Kortes2:16
14."A Flowery Song" 3:40
15."Third World Think Tank"Kerr, Hoerig8:42
16."Combat Chuck's Call" 1:42
Total length:47:25

Personnel

Five Iron Frenzy

  • Jeff (Leanor) Ortega - saxophone, background vocals
  • Wonder Brad (Nathanael Dunham) - trumpet, background vocals
  • Dennis Culp - trombone, background vocals, lead vocals on "Beautiful America"
  • Scott Kerr - guitar, background vocals
  • Keith Hoerig - bass
  • Chaka (Andrew Verdecchio) - drums
  • Micah Ortega - guitar
  • Reese Roper - lead vocals

Additional personnel

  • Jamie Awbrey – rooster crow on "A Flowery Song"
  • Masaki Liu – producer, mixing, background vocals on "Beautiful America"
  • Edith Bunker – background vocals on "I Feel Lucky"
  • Frank Tate – executive producer

References
  1. Upbeats and Beatdowns at AllMusic
  2. Canfield, Dave (1997). "Reviews: Five Iron Frenzy Upbeats & Beatdowns". Cornerstone. 26 (112): 52. ISSN 0275-2743.
  3. Lobaugh, Rod (June 1997). "Five Iron Frenzy – Upbeats And Beatdowns". Cross Rhythms (39).
  4. "Five Iron Frenzy, "Upbeats and Beatdowns" Review". Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Houge, Ty Chap (March–April 1997). "Tools / Music / Upbeats and Beatdowns". YouthWorker Journal. XIII (4): 66. ISSN 0747-3486.
  7. Friar, William (November 15, 1997). "Christian rock music spires in popularity". The Austin American-Statesman. pp. E5.
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