One Up - Laid and Paid
By: Boston Schulz
One Up just released their debut single and video titled “Laid and Paid”. I have never watched a music video while loudly exclaiming “WHAT?!” and laughing every 15 seconds...but this video made me do just that.
“Laid and Paid”’s video is full of typical country motifs (cowboy boots, pick-up trucks, tire swings). Which, as the video started with the typical country themes, I didn’t know what to expect. Was this a country band, rock band? Were they being serious or not about the country vibe? I honestly didn’t know. But once the vocals kicked in, I could see One Up in all of their alt rock glory. They say that “Laid and Paid” is for “fans of Blink-182 and Neck Deep” and you can definitely hear those influences throughout the song.
Another cool thing about One Up is that it is fronted by two brothers, Nick and Alan Reitman, whose vocals work incredibly well together. Switching of the vocal lines being sung between the two continually changes up the tone of the song and just adds another wow factor.
The video plays off ‘millennial culture’ and is a great mix of humor, sarcasm and just good alt rock music. As singer/bassist Alan Reitman shares, “‘Laid and Paid’ is a funny way of saying ‘I can’t stand you. But after a couple beers, expect a phone call.’”