Lock Me Up

Writing for the EP began in early June 2012, which was originally made for their third studio album.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_writing_new_album/|title=The Cab writing new album|magazine=Alternative Press|date=June 6, 2012|access-date=May 10, 2025}} The band began the progress of recording the EP in January 2013.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_recording_new_album_post_first_studio_update/|title=The Cab recording new album, post first studio update|magazine=Alternative Press|date=January 24, 2013|access-date=May 10, 2025}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_post_second_studio_update/|title=The Cab post second studio update|magazine=Alternative Press|date=February 2, 2013|access-date=May 10, 2025}} The group wrote 120 songs during the album/EP and lead vocalist Alexander DeLeon described the EP as "a little darker." Former guitarist Ian Crawford played guitar for the EP.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/interview_the_cabs_alex_deleonto_me_we_were_always_a_pop_band/|title=Interview: The Cab's Alex DeLeon — "To me, we were always a pop band"|magazine=Alternative Press|date=May 12, 2014|access-date=21 January 2018}} cycle On April 15, 2014, the group posted a teaser video with a date of April 29.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_are_back/|title=The Cab are back|magazine=Alternative Press|date=April 16, 2014|access-date=May 10, 2025}} Then on April 21, they released a teaser for a new song.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_release_new_song_teaser/|title=The Cab release new song teaser|date=April 22, 2014|magazine=Alternative Press|access-date=May 10, 2025}} A second teaser was released three days later, with the titled being revealed as "Lock Me Up".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_tease_new_single_lock_me_up/|title=The Cab tease new single, 'Lock Me Up'|magazine=Alternative Press|date=April 25, 2014|access-date=May 10, 2025}} The week prior to the EP's release, on April 24, guitarist and pianist Alex T. Marshall announced his departure from the band.{{Cite magazine |last=Kraus |first=Brian |title=Alex Marshall parts ways with the Cab |url=https://www.altpress.com/alex_marshall_parts_ways_with_the_cab/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |magazine=Alternative Press |date=April 26, 2014 |language=en-US}} On April 28, the group released the EP's lead single, "Lock Me Up" and on the following day, the EP under the same name, was released.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/the-cab-lock-me-up-lyric-video-exclusive-premiere-6077281/|title=The Cab 'Lock Me Up' Lyric Video: Exclusive Premiere|magazine=Billboard|date=May 2, 2014|access-date=April 23, 2017}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_release_new_ep_lock_me_up/|title=The Cab release new EP, 'Lock Me Up'|magazine=Alternative Press|date=April 29, 2014|access-date=May 10, 2025}}

Upon the EP's release, on April 29, the EP was described to have a "poppier/R&B influenced sound" and overall was a "collection of love songs" by Alter the Press.{{cite web|last=Garland |first=Emma |url=http://www.alterthepress.com/2014/04/atp-album-review-cab-lock-me-up-ep.html |title=ATP! Album Review: The Cab - Lock Me Up EP |publisher=Alter The Press! |date=2009-08-20 |accessdate=2014-06-27}} The EP strives away from the band's previous studio album Symphony Soldier{{'}}s pop punk and alternative rock sound and drives closer to a more recognizable radio friendly, dance-pop and R&B sound. The EP's second track "Moon" is an electropop influenced track fit for top forty radio. The opening self-titled track, "Lock Me Up" reverts to the band's themes on Symphony Soldier, having a similar "thumping marching army" vibe. The EP's third and fourth tracks; "Numbers" and "Stand Up" contain an R&B and urban sound. The final track, "These Are the Lies" experiments with more electronica and dubstep sounds with a piano-driven and violin-influenced opening. It was produced by Steve Mac and co-written by English singer and songwriter John Newman.{{cite AV media notes|title= Lock Me Up |year= 2014 |type= booklet |publisher= Republic}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/lock-me-up-mw0002660600|title=Lock Me Up Review by Matt Collar|author=Matt Collar|website=AllMusic|access-date=May 10, 2025}}

}}

Matt Collar of AllMusic gave the EP a positive review stating, "Once again showcasing the vocal talents of Alexander DeLeon, Lock Me Up is a high-energy set of songs that, while retaining the Cab's longstanding knack for passionate emo-rock, reveals such varied stylistic influences as dubstep, piano balladry, and four-on-the-floor dance club electronica. In that sense, Lock Me Up brings to mind the emo-soul of Fall Out Boy mixed with the more electronic pop end of Maroon 5."

Alternative Press wrote, "From the title track's boy-band stomp through the gorgeous ballad 'Numbers' (the best pop track DeLeon has penned to date and a song with a fighting chance of netting the singer Top 40 hit) and the R&B-tinged 'These Are The Lies', it's clear the Cab are less about the band and more about showcasing DeLeon's pipes" and criticized the music itself, describing it as "stale if not unimaginative."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.altpress.com/the_cab_lock_me_up_ep/|title=The Cab - Lock Me Up EP|magazine=Alternative Press|date=May 1, 2014|access-date=May 10, 2025}}

{{track listing

| all_writing =

| headline =

| title1 = Lock Me Up

| writer1 = {{hlist|Steve Mac|John Newman|Wayne Hector}}

| length1 = 3:29

| title2 = Moon

| writer2 = {{hlist|Mac|Alex DeLeon}}

| length2 = 3:16

| title3 = Numbers

| writer3 = {{hlist|DeLeon|Michael Freesh|Nick Bailey|Trent Mazur|Ryan Ogren}}

| length3 = 4:09

| title4 = Stand Up

| writer4 = {{hlist|DeLeon|Bailey|Ogren|Johnny Coffer}}

| length4 = 4:23

| title5 = These Are the Lies

| writer5 = {{hlist|DeLeon|CJ Baran|Alex T. Marshall}}

| length5 = 3:46

}}

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.

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The Cab

• Alexander DeLeon – lead vocals
• Alex T. Marshall – rhythm guitar, piano, backing vocals
• Chantry Johnson – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Dave Briggs – drums, percussion
• Joey Thunder – bass guitar

Additional musicians

• Steve Mac – keyboards {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• Chris Laws – drums {{small|(track 1)}}
• Dan Pursey – percussion {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• Paul Gendler – guitar {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• Ian Crawford {{small|(track 1–5)}}
• John Newman – backing vocals {{small|(track 1)}}
• Wayne Hector – backing vocals {{small|(track 1)}}
• James Abrahart – backing vocals {{small|(track 1)}}
• Neal Wilkinson – drums {{small|(track 2)}}
• Michael Freesh – bass {{small|(track 3)}}
• Nick Bailey – backing vocals {{small|(track 3)}}
• Ryan Ogren – backing vocals {{small|(track 3)}}, guitar {{small|(track 3)}}, keyboards {{small|(track 3)}}, bass {{small|(track 3)}}
• Simon Katz – synthesizer {{small|(track 3–4)}}, drums {{small|(track 5)}}

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Production

• Steve Mac – producer {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• The Blueprint – producer {{small|(track 3)}}
• WHAMS – producer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Johnny Coffer – producer {{small|(track 4)}}
• CJ Baran – producer {{small|(track 5)}}
• Chris Laws – engineer {{small|(track 1–2)}}, programming {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• Dan Pursey – engineer {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• John Hanes – engineer {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• Michael Freesh – engineer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Nick Bailey – engineer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Trent Mazur – engineer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Ryan Ogren – engineer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Larry Goetz – engineer {{small|(track 3)}}
• Serban Ghenea – mixing {{small|(track 1–2)}}
• Simon Katz – mixing {{small|(track 3–4)}}
• Jaycen Joshua – mixing {{small|(track 5)}}
• Ryan Kaul – assistant mixing engineer {{small|(track 5)}}

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{{The Cab}}

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Category:2014 EPs

Category:The Cab albums