The Upwelling – Self/Titled EP / 2004 Self-Released / 5 Tracks / http://www.theupwelling.com / Reviewed 25 February 2005

I’ve never heard of The Upwelling, and this is for good reason. They were one of sixteen bands that Virgin Records “recommended”, gaining a spot on one of Virgin Megastore’s samplers. Virgin’s decision was not a rash one, as The Upwelling is a very professional and creative act. I say creative not only for their impressive melding of emo and Depeche Mode, but rather the packaging in which I received their first CD, a mini-binder made from a DVD case. “Murdered By a Big Bomb” has the soaring vocals of Ari , dream-like as they may be creating a major struggle in the track with the concrete synth lines that line the track. The skillful inclusion of fragments from old speeches is a surprise during the track; this is as much that the clip is insinuated well as it is well-recorded and proper for “Sam”. The fourth track on the EP, “Ladder 104”, adds another set of influences to the mix, with the chorus’ vocals achieving at moments a Rivers Cuomo-esque timbre, as the synthesizers scream the Red Hot Valentines and the guitars very slightly look backwards to Use Your Illusion II-Slash.

The sad thing about this EP is that the five cuts spin through so fast that it becomes hard to truly gauge the band from what is present. I have no doubt that The Upwelling has the ability to fill a full-length CD with a number of interesting tracks that will keep the interest of their fanbase, but I want to see what other influences they incorporate and how else they will keep their listeners agape. The atmosphere created during the final track, “American Night” is much more a nod to their more indie-rock influences, and Ari’s vocals just show that farther, giving a nod to two Chrises: Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional) and Martin (Coldplay).

The Upwelling may benefit from Cure-like guitar work on tracks like “In Her Arms”, seeming to use long strokes to paint their masterpiece, but the chattering found on the track is something to focus on. The Upwelling’s EP is something that one could sit back and listen to a number of times and yet still never hear everything that the band has put on this slab of plastic. Keep an eye out for the band touring, or for the inevitable day when their full-length is released to an unsuspecting public. This is the future of popular music.

Top Track: Sam

Rating: 6.3/10