Upbeats and Beatdowns

Upbeats and Beatdowns
Studio album by Five Iron Frenzy
Released	April 8, 1997
Recorded	2 – 10 September 1996 at One Way Studio in Concord, CA
Genre	Christian ska
Length	47:25
Label	Five Minute Walk/Warner Bros. Records
Producer	Masaki 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
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Cornerstone	[1]
Cross Rhythms	link[2]
Jesus Freak Hideout	link
Real Magazine	link
YouthWorker	[3]

Upbeats and Beatdowns is the first full-length album of the band Five Iron Frenzy. It was released April 8, 1997 on Five Minute Walk, under the SaraBellum imprint, with distribution from Warner Bros. Records. The lyrics were generally received as being "relevant and forceful;"^[3] one reviewer commented that the band offered praise and worship "by the pound."^[1] The first track, "Old West", begins one of many themes that would reoccour on the band's subsequent releases. The track is critical of the ill treatment of Native Americans in the name of Christ,^[4] and the liner notes implore us to learn from the Sand Creek and Meeker Massacres.

Track listing

1. "Old West" – 2:20
2. "Where the Zero Meets the Fifteen" – 3:04
3. "Cool Enough For You" – 3:45
4. "Anthem" – 2:43
5. "Faking Life" – 2:49
6. "Shut Up" – 0:04
7. "Arnold and Willis and Mr. Drummond" – 2:36
8. "I Feel Lucky" – 3:18
9. "Milestone" – 3:12
10. "Beautiful America" – 3:43
11. "Combat Chuck" – 2:09
12. "Amalgamate" – 2:58
13. "Everywhere I Go" – 2:16 (Amy Grant cover)
14. "A Flowery Song" – 3:40
15. "Third World Think Tank" – 8:42
    • "Combat Chuck's Call"; – 1:42 (hidden track)

Lineup

• Reese Roper – Lead vocals, Kitty on A Flowery Song
• Micah Ortega – Lead guitar, vocals, Sheep on A Flowery Song
• Scott Kerr – Guitar, vocals, Monkey on A Flowery Song
• Keith Hoerig – Bass guitar, Log on A Flowery Song
• Andrew Verdecchio – Drums, vocals, Other Birdie on A Flowery Song
• Nathanel "Brad" Dunham – Trumpet, BGVs, Sloth on A Flowery Song
• Dennis Culp – Trombone, BGVs, Vocals on Beautiful America, Birdie on A Flowery Song
• Leanor Ortega "Jeff The Girl" – Saxophone, BGVs, Fungus on A Flowery Song

Additional Personnel

• Jamie Awbrey – Rooster Crow on "A Flowery Song"
• Masaki – says "yah" on "Beautiful America"
• Edith Bunker – Background vocals on "I Feel Lucky"

Miscellaneous

• 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.

References

1. Canfield, Dave (1997). "Reviews: Five Iron Frenzy Upbeats & Beatdowns". Cornerstone 26 (112): 52. ISSN 0275-2743.
2. Lobaugh, Rod (June 1997). "Five Iron Frenzy – Upbeats And Beatdowns". Cross Rhythms (39).
3. Houge, Ty Chap (March–April 1997). "Tools / Music / Upbeats and Beatdowns". YouthWorker Journal XIII (4): 66. ISSN 0747-3486.
4. Friar, William (1997-11-15). "Christian rock music spires in popularity". The Austin American-Statesman. pp. E5.

External links

• Allmusic album main page
• Five Iron Frenzy official website discography