LVL UP explained

LVL UP
Origin:	Purchase, New York, United States
Genre:	Lo-fi, indie rock, alternative rock, emo, punk rock
Years Active:	– ^[1]
Label:	Sub Pop, Double Double Whammy, Exploding In Sound Records, Run For Cover Records, Evil Weevil Records
Associated Acts:	Spook Houses, Crying, Normal Person, Trace Mountains, The Glow, Cende, Totally Ruined, Spirit Was, Weird Korea, SIRS
Past Members:	Mike Caridi Dave Benton Nick Corbo Greg Rutkin Ben Smith

LVL UP was an American lo-fi band from Purchase, New York, United States.

History

LVL UP formed in 2011 at SUNY Purchase as a recording project between Mike Caridi, Dave Benton, and their friend Ben Smith, with the original intention of releasing a split cassette with Nick Corbo's then-solo material. They instead released their debut album, Space Brothers via Evil Weevil Records,^[2] as one band, and Greg Rutkin joined shortly afterwards for the group's first show. Smith left the band for personal reasons just before the release of second album Hoodwink'd, a joint release on Caridi and Benton's label Double Double Whammy and Exploding in Sound.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

In 2016, the band's third LP Return to Love was released by Sub Pop. The album received favorable reviews with comparisons being drawn to the works of Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement.^[7]

On June 11, 2018, the band announced they were retiring the project after their fall tour. Their last show was September 28 in New York City.^[8]

Band members

• Mike Caridi – guitar, vocals
• Dave Benton – guitar, vocals
• Nick Corbo – bass, vocals
• Greg Rutkin – drums
• Ben Smith – guitar

Discography

Studio albums

• Space Brothers (2011)
• Hoodwink'd (2014)
• Return to Love (2016)

EPs

• Extra Worlds (2013)
• Three Songs (2015)

Splits

• LVL UP / Porches 7" (2013)
• LVL UP / Krill / Ovlov / Radiator Hospital 7" (2014)
• LVL UP / Frankie Cosmos 7" (2018)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Official LVL UP Twitter account. Twitter.com.
2. Web site: Green. Sasha. Exclusive Song Premiere and Interview: 'Ski Vacation,' LVL UP. 9 September 2014. Interview Magazine. 3 January 2015.
3. Web site: Rettig. James. Stream LVL UP Hoodwink'd (Stereogum Premiere). Stereogum.com. 16 September 2014. 3 January 2015.
4. Web site: Geslani. Michelle. Listen: LVL UP's glimmering new song "I Feel Ok". 11 August 2014. Consequence of Sound. 3 January 2015.
5. Web site: Ambrosio. John. LVL UP, Hoodwink'd. 23 September 2014. Impose Magazine. 3 January 2015.
6. Web site: Listen to a New Song from Lo-Fi Fuzz Rockers, LVL UP. Noisey.vice.com. 26 August 2014 . 3 January 2015.
7. Web site: LVL UP: Return to Love . .
8. Web site: A note from the band LVL UP. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/Bj4w89ilRt0 . 2021-12-26 . registration. Intsagram.com. 7 December 2018.