The Up Escalator is an album by Graham Parker and the Rumour, released on 23 May 1980 by Stiff Records as LP (SEEZ 23) and as cassette (ZSEEZ 23).

But one listen to The Up Escalator reveals that Iovine's trademark sound somehow escaped him for this project; the recording and mix are flat and poorly detailed ... and the often mushy audio manages the remarkable feat of making the Rumour, one of the most exciting rock bands of their day, sound just a bit dull.

"[5] Debra Rae Cohen of Rolling Stone similarly stated, "The new album seems like an attempt to 'gentrify' Parker, to turn him into a commercial classic-by-association by surrounding him with blue-chip artifacts.

Deming pointed to "Empty Lives," "The Beating of Another Heart," and "Endless Night" as examples of "A-list material" on the album.

[5] Geoffrey Himes of The Washington Post wrote, "The Up Escalator is one long howl for an endless night that will cut through the alienation of the 'Same thing, same way, every day, stupefaction'" and noted that "Parker's music is just as powerful an argument as his lyrics.