Review Summary: Uninspired math rock.
Punk has certainly come a long way from its beginnings. Upsilon Acrux and bands like them (Ahleuchatistas, Yowie, Sleeping People) are a group of kids brought up on punk, that are trying to form their own version of what progressive rock is. Basically, their method of doing it is by playing extremely fast, oddly melodic, and oddly-timed instrumental music. While usually the bands in this brand of music rely on the common trio of guitar, bass, and drum, Upsilon Acrux has added moog synthesizers and a second drummer to their mix. Even with these subtle differences, Upsilon Acrux does little to differentiate themselves from the pack of "math rock" bands that have formed in recent years.
Basically, hearing one track on "Last Train Out" is like hearing them all. They all rely on oddly-timed, confusingly melodic instrumental rock. Where bands like Ahleuchatistas implicate the ideas of shifting dynamics into their brand of math rock, Upsilon Acrux basically sounds the same the entire way through "Last Train Out". There are a few highlights, such as "Propeller", a harmonic based piece which is very soothing in comparison to the rest of the album, and "45 Seconds (Beez Kneez)", a summary of Upsilon Acrux's sound in 55 seconds. Yet, besides these two standout tracks, the rest of the album is full of what one would expect from a math rock album. While this may be acceptable to some listeners, I feel that if a band is going to subscribe to a genre they should at least embellish slightly on the prescribed sound.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a straight forward math rock album, "Last Train Out" is a fine choice. Upsilon Acrux isn't really a forward-thinking band and that is my main complaint with them. They put on the appearance that they are progressive thinkers, but in reality they are just copping out and playing a style of music that has already been played to death. If you enjoy Upsilon Acrux, I suggest you take a look at bands like Ahleuchatistas and Sleeping People, who take the formula Upsilon uses to make their music, but vastly improve and experiment with it, in turn making it something unique and interesting.
