The albums that the Get up Kids released in the late 90s came to define an entire genre of music.  Their punk meets emo sound became so beloved and synonymous with the band that many fans lost interest as soon as they started to mix it up.  Things finally came to a head, and after the disappointing Guilt Show album the band called it quits, leaving the members to disperse into their respective (and rather successful) side projects.

Last year, word of a Get Up Kids reunion tour came out of nowhere, then a new Daytrotter session from the band dropped, and now the band’s first studio recording in six years, the Simple Science EP has been released.

But Simple Science is more than just one EP.  It is actually a collection of three EP’s the band will be releasing in 2010.  Each release contains four new original songs released on limited edition 12″ and 10″ vinyl (the songs will also be released on CD and on Itunes).   The first EP in the collection was released on April 17th(Record Store Day), the second is scheduled for a summer release, and the third for the fall.  The recordings feature the full original lineup of the band, including bassist Rob Pope who was unable to join the band on most of the tour due to his commitments with his new band, Spoon.

The new EP isn’t exactly a return to form, but the band’s trademark sound is certainly present in spots.  The first track “Your Petty Pretty Things” is the closest thing to an old school GUK recording, and would probably fit right in on Something to Write Home About.  The verse in “Keith Case”  sounds almost like a Spoon track, building tension around a fuzzy bass line before it is paid off with a vintage Matt Pryor vocal in the chorus.  ”Tommy Gentle” falls somewhere between the Blackpool Lights and the New Amsterdams sound, resulting in a cool track that  is my favorite of the bunch.   Rounding out the record is “How You’re Bound”, the strangely long and largely forgettable closer.

All these years later, Simple Science showcases a fresh and relevant sound from The Get Up Kids.  While this release might not be the band’s best material, it should be enough to wrestle up some excitement for the rest of the collection.