With Upstairs/Downstairs(Dirtnap), The Ergs second full-length, we get a wiser and clearly more road-tested band. But while the band lets their impressive skills and songwriting chops roam a little more freely this time around, the results are somewhat mixed. The album suffers from the same inconsistencies that held back the band’s first album, Dorkrockcorkrod (Whoa Oh/Don Giovanni), from being a pop-punk masterpiece.

That being said though, the band’s second album contains some of the strongest songs they have ever written. Album highlights include “2nd Fountain,” “Trouble in River City” and “Bike Shoppe.” These are the type of pogo-inducing songs that reaffirm my love of the genre. It’s fast, it’s catchy, it’s fun, fuck yeah!

Although the record definitely has a good handful of strong points, the band hasn’t quite figured out how to create a totally compelling full-length record, despite mastering the delicate art of EPs and singles. The album goes back and forth bounces back and forth, before officially overstaying it’s welcome with the album closing title track. It feels like the final track is just another reminder that this band is still truly finding itself. While some might believe they are just simply a pop punk band, if this track does anything, it disproves that notion once and for all.

For the Ergs, the Upstairs/Downstairs cover could even be seen in a literal sense. They have been climbing up those stairs the last few years, becoming one of the best pop punk bands around, but for now they are stuck in the middle of the staircase. But those steps are present, keep in mind. It’s just up to them to keep trekking up those steps. They’ve certainly got everything else down. Their [Insert your favorite Descendents album here] is on the way. I feel it. They are way too good of a band for them not to reach that level.

Tags: Album Review, The Ergs //