Up (The Saturdays Song) - Critical Reception

Critical Reception

"Up" received mainly positively reviews from contemporary music critics. It also received comparisons to music released by Girls Aloud, Mis-Teeq, Rihanna and Liberty X. The single was also described by the majority of music critics as a better song than the group's first single "If This Is Love".

Jamie Harper of musicOMH gave "Up" a mainly negative review: " the verse to 'Up' sounds disturbingly like someone's pressed the 'demo' button on a keyboard. The result makes them sound like Liberty X's younger sister. Elsewhere expect the standard pop formulas such as lyrics that don't really make sense, verse-chorus-verse-chorus song structure, and some actually quite nice vocal melodies."

Nick Levine from Digital Spy positively reviewed the song, saying: " this quivering electropop track sounds like a smash, boasting a memorable chorus, sharp, modern production and the best use of sirens in a pop song since Mis-Teeq's 'Scandalous'. Up is where they go from here indeed." Elle J. Small of the BBC described "Up" as "a massive sing-along song, which should make Girls Aloud very scared indeed". OK! Magazine described the single as an "electro-tinged tune" and an "addictive pop anthem". Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian mentioned that the song was "high-quality pop" and "a delicious moment" on Chasing Lights. Jacqui Swift from The Sun reviewed the track as "unstoppable stomping pop". Jon O'Brein of Allmusic said that "Up" was a "robotic disco-pop song" with "infectious quality". Johnny Dee from Virgin Media said that "Up" along with "If This Is Love" were the only "truly inspired pop moments" on Chasing Lights and that it "hints at Girls Aloud-style twisted pop slickness". Peter Hayward of musicOMH described "Up" as a "slick, sassy number baring more than a passing resemblance to Rihanna's poppier moments." Gary Ryan from City Life said that the "precision-tooled electropop" song surpassed the recent efforts of The Saturdays' girl group contemporaries; Sugababes and Pussycat Dolls. Lauren Murphy of Entertainment.ie described "Up" as "bleepy, murky deliciousness". Aimee Younge from Orange positively reviewed the single: "The Saturdays are back with a second, even better single. With classic '80s bubblegum pop undertones, 'Up' is a smart yet fun, catchy number that could just as easily have been recorded by Girls Aloud." Nadia Mendoza from The Sun described "Up" as an "infectious, addictive pop anthem with a catchy chorus". Popjustice described "Up" as "a world class song so brilliant that everything else is blown out of the water", further mentioning: "'Up' which, unlike 'If This Is Love', is much more than just a brilliant chorus with some other bits chucked in. What's also brilliant about the track is that although it's very excellent and very 'now' it doesn't sound like either Girls Aloud or the Sugababes, meaning that it's a song which wouldn't be released if The Saturdays didn't exist. Which in turn means the band are carving out their own little niche ".

Fraser McAlpine of the BBC gave "Up" a four out of five star rating, saying:

It's great. There's no question. It sounds like it is being sung by a team of close-harmony Rihannas It's got a swing to it, and someone seems to be playing the same synth note over and over again, probably using their face, in a manner which suggests some obsessive-compulsive desire to see if it will fit all the way through, if it is played very often, and it more or less does. These are all reasons to cheer whenever the song is played on the radio.