When Upstate played the No Depression stage at the FreshGrass Festival last year, their instrumentation included three vocalists (who occasional played an acoustic guitar), double bass, mandolin, and cajón. It was a surprising and engaging set, one that managed to capture attendees’ attention wholly, despite the curious setup that didn’t align entirely with folk or bluegrass.
Singers Melanie Glenn, Mary Kenney, and Allison Olender, and bassist Harry D’Agostino, mandolin player Ryan Chappell, and percussionist Dean Mahoney already proved themselves capable of concocting a rich sound, but the sextet’s new album, Healing, adds even more into the mix. With the addition of brass and woodwinds from guest multi-instrumentalist Christian Joao, Healing transforms into a rich record following the genre-crossing traditions set by bands like the jazzy folk-rock of Lake Street Dive and the vocal-driven indie rock of Lucius.
Upstate as been honing this sound since its 2015 debut album, A Remedy. By editing down their band name (from Upstate Rubdown) and expanding their sonic range (thanks in part to album producer Jano Rix, percussionist in The Wood Brothers, and Grammy award-winning drummer and engineer Justin Guip), the band seems primed for this release.
Healing encompasses the full scope of human emotions, from the kiss-off of “Marietta” to the sad nostalgia of “Sarah” to the sexy wanting of “Weekend.” But the album’s greatest strength is its mix of genres — traversing the worlds of jazz, folk, traditional, bluegrass, and rock. “Young” features flute work worthy of Ron Burgundy’s Anchorman before Glenn, Kenney, and Olender unleash a three-part harmonic maelstrom. “Mother” also highlights their singing, although this time it’s more reminiscent of the folk vocal trio Mountain Man.
The only disappointment of Healing is that the louder instruments often muffle Chappell’s mandolin playing; it’s either relegated to Mahoney’s rhythmic accompaniment or simply buried by so much sonic texture. Songs like the defiant “Going Gone” and “Sarah” best balance all these elements, fusing the dueling worlds in which Upstate exists. In the wilds of today’s music industry, it’s more and more difficult to succeed as a recording artist and live band. Healing proves that Upstate can thrive in both of these realms, an impressive feat for this exciting upstart.
