CD Review – The Upwelling
An American Stranger
Edmond Records
Sounding like the son of Joy Division, the debut from The Upwelling is like listening to the upside of depression. Lead singer Ari Ingber’s voice is very much like ___ from Joy Division or Paul Banks from Interpol, but the music and lyrics have a more positive vibe. “Wanderlust” sounds like a more upbeat Wallflowers.
“Who Needs You Now” gets back to the somber when Ingber sings the chorus “Who needs you now/ it’s not too late for you/ but it is too late for me and you,” and then follows that up with a short outro performed by a string section that could be playing on your heartstrings.
“Ladder 116” is really what the band is all about. A tribute to 9-11, the band formed shortly after the twin towers fell and this song (formerly called “Ladder 104”) is one of the best anthems for that tragedy. The track, which starts out with the line “Look in the sky/ Up in the air/ It looks like an angel/ The sky is so clear/ It’s such a beautiful day/ It moves just like a bird/ In the sky,” begins really quiet and then it explodes into a torrent of rock ‘n soul. It culminates in Ingber singing what the firefighters were no doubt asking as they gave their lives to try and save thousands of others: Can everybody breathe? Is everyone okay?
The Upwelling may have started with a tribute to 9-11, but they have the chops to be much more than that. This is a group that wears their lyrics on their sleeves and makes enrapturing rock music for the masses.
