Up in It

Last updated
Up in It
Afghan Whigs - Up in It.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 1990
Genre
Length45:38
Label Sub Pop [2]
Producer Jack Endino
The Afghan Whigs chronology
Big Top Halloween
(1988)
Up in It
(1990)
Congregation
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 4/10 [6]

Up in It is the second album by the Afghan Whigs, released in 1990 via Sub Pop. [7] [8] It marked the first time Sub Pop had released an album by a band hailing from outside the northwestern United States. [9]

Contents

Production

The album was produced by Jack Endino. [1]

Critical reception

Trouser Press wrote: "Typically gauzy Jack Endino production instantly brands Up in It as a Sub Pop issue. While the increased volume follows suit, the Whigs still wax more lyrical than their thrash’n’burn label contemporaries." [10] The New Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that "thudding production hides the band's latent smarts in sludge." [5] The Dallas Observer deemed the album "the first indication grunge could be created in a vacuum (i.e., Cincinnati) by four isolated 20-year-olds just as potently as if it were manufactured by a whole slew of Mark Arms." [11]

Track listing

All tracks written by Greg Dulli except where noted.

  1. "Retarded" (Dulli, McCollum) – 3:25
  2. "White Trash Party" – 3:05
  3. "Hated" – 3:37
  4. "Southpaw" – 3:20
  5. "Amphetamines and Coffee" (Kopasz) – 1:55
  6. "Now We Can Begin" - 2.43 [LP/Cassette version] OR "Hey Cuz" – 3:49 [CD version]
  7. "You My Flower" – 3:48
  8. "Son of the South" – 4:12
  9. "I Know Your Little Secret" – 4:22
  10. "Big Top Halloween" (Dulli, Curley) – 3:31 [CD version only]
  11. "Sammy" (Dulli, Curley) – 3:15 [CD version only]
  12. "In My Town" (Dulli, Curley) – 2:59 [CD version only]
  13. "I Am the Sticks" – 4:19 [CD version only]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Afghan Whigs</span> American rock band

The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio. They were active from 1986 to 2001 and have since reformed as a band. The group – with core members Greg Dulli, Rick McCollum, and John Curley (bass) – rose up around the grunge movement, evolving from a garage band in the vein of the Replacements to incorporate more R&B and soul influences into their sound and image. After releasing their first album independently in 1988, the band signed to the Seattle-based label Sub Pop. They released their major-label debut and fourth album, Gentlemen, in 1993. Pitchfork described them as "one of the few alt-bands to flourish on a major label" in the 1990s.

<i>Congregation</i> (The Afghan Whigs album) 1992 studio album by The Afghan Whigs

Congregation is the third studio album by American alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs. It was released on January 31, 1992, by Sub Pop and followed two years of the band's touring in support of their first album for the label, Up in It (1990).

<i>Bleach</i> (Nirvana album) 1989 studio album by Nirvana

Bleach is the debut studio album by American rock band Nirvana, released on June 15, 1989, by Sub Pop. After the release of their debut single "Love Buzz" on Sub Pop in November 1988, Nirvana rehearsed for two to three weeks in preparation for recording a full-length album. The main recording sessions for Bleach took place at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle, Washington between December 1988 and January 1989. It is the only Nirvana album released on the Sub Pop label and their only studio album to feature drummer Chad Channing.

<i>Ultramega OK</i> 1988 studio album by Soundgarden

Ultramega OK is the debut studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on October 31, 1988, by SST Records. Following the release of the EPs Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988), both for the Sub Pop record label, Soundgarden signed with SST and went to work on their debut full-length. The resulting album contained elements of heavy metal, psychedelic rock, and hardcore punk. The band supported the album with a tour of the United States, as well as its first overseas tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Fisk</span> American record producer

Steve Fisk is an American, Washington-based audio engineer, record producer and musician. As a musician, he has been in bands such as the instrumental alternative/indie rock band Pell Mell and the electronic band Pigeonhed. He has long been associated with the Pacific Northwest music scenes, including grunge and the Sub Pop indie record label.

<i>Substance 1987</i> 1987 compilation album by New Order

Substance is a compilation album by English alternative dance band New Order. It was released in August 1987 by Factory Records. The album compiles all of the band's singles at that point in their 12-inch versions, along with their respective B-side tracks. The then-newly released non-album single "True Faith" is also featured, along with its B-side "1963" and new versions of "Temptation" and "Confusion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Twilight Singers</span> American indie rock band

The Twilight Singers are an American indie rock band. It was formed in 1997 by Greg Dulli as a side project during a hiatus from his group The Afghan Whigs. After the Afghan Whigs disbanded, Dulli used The Twilight Singers as his own artistic vehicle and has now released five studio albums backed by worldwide tours.

<i>Screaming Life</i> 1987 EP by Soundgarden

Screaming Life is the debut EP by American rock band Soundgarden, released in October 1987 by Sub Pop. Screaming Life was later combined with the band's next EP, Fopp (1988), and released as the Screaming Life/Fopp compilation album in 1990.

<i>1965</i> (The Afghan Whigs album) 1998 studio album by The Afghan Whigs

1965 is the sixth studio album by American rock band The Afghan Whigs. It was released on October 27, 1998, by Columbia Records.

<i>Gentlemen</i> (album) 1993 studio album by the Afghan Whigs

Gentlemen is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band the Afghan Whigs. It was recorded primarily at Ardent Studios in Memphis, with the band's frontman Greg Dulli producing, and released on October 5, 1993, by Elektra Records.

<i>Smell the Magic</i> 1990 studio album by L7

Smell the Magic is the second studio album by American rock band L7, released in 1990 by Sub Pop. Originally issued as a 12" EP containing only the first six songs, it was reissued on CD in July 1991, expanded to album length with three more tracks: "Packin' a Rod," "Just Like Me," and "American Society." The opening track "Shove" was released as the band's first single.

<i>Black Love</i> (The Afghan Whigs album) 1996 studio album by the Afghan Whigs

Black Love is the fifth album by the band the Afghan Whigs, released in March 1996. It was released by Elektra Records/Sub Pop in the US and by Mute in Europe, and was produced by Greg Dulli. Black Love was preceded by the single "Honky's Ladder" and followed by the single "Going to Town".

<i>Cheer Up</i> (Plexi album) 1996 studio album by Plexi

Cheer Up is the only studio album by the American band Plexi, released on Sub Pop in 1996.

<i>Big Top Halloween</i> 1988 studio album by The Afghan Whigs

Big Top Halloween is the first album by the band The Afghan Whigs. It was released in 1988 via Ultrasuede.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Dulli</span> American musician

Greg Dulli is an American musician from Hamilton, Ohio. Debuting as a member of the rock band the Afghan Whigs in 1986, Dulli has been a member of the Twilight Singers, Gutter Twins, and in 2020 released his debut solo album, Random Desire. Dulli is known as the voice of John Lennon in the 1994 film Backbeat, and has produced music for musicians such as Afterhours, and is known as a regular collaborator of Mark Lanegan and Joseph Arthur.

<i>Do to the Beast</i> 2014 album by The Afghan Whigs

Do to the Beast is the seventh studio album by American alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs, their first in 16 years. It was released on April 15, 2014 on Sub Pop Records, the same label that released their albums Up in It and Congregation.

<i>In Spades</i> 2017 studio album by The Afghan Whigs

In Spades is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band The Afghan Whigs, released on May 5, 2017 on Sub Pop Records.

<i>Mr. Superlove</i> 1990 studio album by Ass Ponys

Mr. Superlove is the debut studio album by Cincinnati, Ohio-based indie rock band Ass Ponys. It was originally released in 1990 on OKra Records, and was subsequently reissued by Anyway Records with several bonus tracks. It was produced by the Afghan Whigs' bassist John Curley, and was recorded in his house. Upon its initial release, the album became a commercial flop due to distribution problems. In 2006, select remastered songs from the album and its follow-up, Grim, along with various new outtakes, covers, and live versions, were released by Shake It Records on the album The Okra Years.

<i>Random Desire</i> 2020 studio album by Greg Dulli

Random Desire is the debut studio album by American singer Greg Dulli, lead singer of the bands the Afghan Whigs and the Twilight Singers. It was released on February 21, 2020, by Royal Cream and BMG Rights Management.

<i>How Do You Burn?</i> 2022 studio album by The Afghan Whigs

How Do You Burn? is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Afghan Whigs. The album was released on September 9, 2022, through BMG Rights Management, making it their first album since 1998's 1965 to not be released under Sub Pop.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Miller, Judy (1999). "The Afghan Whigs". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 12–13.
  2. "Up In It". Sub Pop Records.
  3. "Up in It - The Afghan Whigs | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  4. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 1. MUZE. p. 69.
  5. 1 2 The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. p. 9.
  6. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 9.
  7. "The Afghan Whigs | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  8. Thompson, Dave (March 1, 2000). Alternative Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   9780879306076 via Google Books.
  9. "The Afghan Whigs: "We stayed true to ourselves; always walked our own line" | The Skinny". www.theskinny.co.uk.
  10. "Afghan Whigs". Trouser Press. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  11. Arnold, Gina (May 16, 1996). "He stole the soul". Dallas Observer.