Every so often, a band comes along with a collection of music that transcends the present moment with sharp, poignant songwriting and vibrant soundscapes. For San Francisco's The New Up, it's their upcoming release Tiny Mirrors. The album is more than just another collection of rock songs (though these songs undoubtedly rock). Instead, it is a collection of carefully crafted tracks meant to be as thought-provoking as they are infectiously catchy. Engineered and mixed by Sean Beresford (Chuck Prophet, The Donnas, Vanessa Carlton) and produced by Jack Frost (Antarctica/BlackRock NYC), Tiny Mirrors is out on November 4, 2016.
Staying true to their DIY approach, The New Up blend genres and sprawl from gritty garage riffs to sharp electronic beats, with their philosophical lyric musings calling to mind Tame Impala. Meanwhile, lead singer ES Pitcher's sultry vocals (and occasional snarl) recall fellow badass female-fronted
Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Kills, managing to capture a wide range of genuine emotion. Lead single "Future Is Now" melds a graceful yet anthemic melody with an unnerving narrative, while "Almost Human" delivers the universal longing connection, ever the more prevalent in this day and age, set in contrast to its jagged beats and heavy guitar tones.
Then there's the stunning "Black Swan," a tale of rebellion against loneliness. Inspired by a true story, the video companion to the track is a one-take masterpiece that brings to life the tale of loneliness that can come with living in the city. The stunning video was premiered by CRAVE, see it HERE!
The New Up have turned out three self-released EPs (Gold, Better Off, Broken Machine) and one full-length (Palace of Industrial Hope). When it came time to start working on Tiny Mirrors, the band decided to launch an Indiegogo campaign to obtain the gear needed to create their own recording studio - which was essential to realizing their creative vision for the album. After surpassing their crowdfunding goal, The New Up used those funds to construct a studio in their home (which included converting a closet into an isolation booth and executing some innovative microphone placement). During the recording process, they also transformed a secluded barn in a seaside Mendocino town into a state-of-the-art recording facility, and then finished up the producing and mixing process at engineer Beresford's redwood-ensconced home.
The New Up is: ES Pitcher (vocals, guitar), Noah Reid (guitar, vocals), Hawk West (automation), Nick Massaro (bass) and Art McConnell (drums).
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