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The New Up's effusive female-fronted melodies, darkened by edgy whirling guitars, juxtapose hard-hitting '00s alternative with swirling psychedelic overtones. Through an emphasis on the art of songwriting along with their provocative lyrics and gripping live performances, this five-piece awakens lusty social revelations that call upon hope.

Headquartered at their San Francisco home, endearingly named The Pleasure Pad (where the band rehearses and records), members ES Pitcher (vocals, guitar), Noah Reid (guitar, vocals), Hawk West (flute and automation), Dain Dizazzo (bass) and Drew Bertrand (drums) began recording a series of three EPs in the spring of 2008. After laying down the basic tracks at Hyde Street Studios with Jaimeson Durr (Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, Handsome Boy Modeling School), they began layering additional tracks at The Pleasure Pad, where they could explore by recording flute lines in bathrooms and trying odd mic placements in closets. Reid notes, "It's such a luxury to be able to record in the comfort of your own home. It gives you the freedom to focus on one little idea for two hours, and then try something different if you decide that idea doesn't work – without the pressure and financial constraints of a traditional studio."

The first EP in the series, Broken Machine, received national recognition in late 2008 when it charted on the CMJ Top 200 and garnered positive reviews. Performer Magazine called the EP "an artful sonic balance that's miles beyond the typical indie-rock release." Music critic Dennis Cook (Pitchfork, Signal to Noise, JamBase) deemed the band "a post-Radiohead group, full of mutated pop hooks, absinthe guitars, smartly wrangled chaos and undisguised beauty and feeling. But, there's little in the way of influences, even Radiohead's, that you can pin down exactly... What they've made is their own."

Founding members Reid (whose father was a career bassist and inspired him to play guitar at an early age) and Pitcher met when she was playing guitar outside of a show in Indiana and he happened to walk by. Despite the fact that she lived in Chicago and he in Charlottesville, VA, they began writing together by playing song ideas over the phone. Reid moved to Chicago, where they continued composing songs and met Hawk West, who began writing flute melodies for their songs. The three soon relocated to San Francisco to form a band, going through many incarnations, each one bringing them closer to realizing the sound they have today.

The geographical contrast between Chicago and San Francisco lends itself to The New Up's influential evasiveness by establishing a dichotomy of urban darkness and Midwestern sincerity, highlighting their equal fascination with nature and urban chaos. Pitcher reflects on San Francisco's influence: "Nature needed to be accessible in my life. In nature there are lessons that are more involved with humility. It gives you the sense that everything has not yet been discovered, contrary to what we see and feel every day."

Backed by sincere musicianship inspired by Chicago roots and San Francisco surroundings, The New Up dissects society in their three-part EP series. Broken Machine is a preliminary analysis that attempts to diagnose the problems of modern society while drawing from personal experience. The second in the series, Better Off (released August 18, 2009), is a step toward resolution that addresses the question of how to overcome these shortcomings. Reid explains, "On one hand, you can say you're better off than someone else. On the other hand, you can say you're better off without something or someone. It's a call to appreciate what you have, but to also have the wisdom to shed the unneeded weight you're carrying around."

Better Off implies a duality in meaning by touching on intimate experiences that still somehow apply to us all. Fitting with the overall theme of the three EP series, the title depicts transcendence over a great burden, destructive behavior and a sense of loss by getting in touch with what's truly important. The third EP, due for release in the spring of 2010, will complete the transformation by exploring the feeling of finding hope after experiencing the pain of having lost things that seem necessary, but that ultimately are holding us back.

The New Up combines social significance with a sharp eye toward reaching their full potential. They embrace an ambitious attitude along with a sense of community, proving that harmony can rest in perceived opposition.

The New Up is:
ES Pitcher : vocals, guitar
Noah Reid : guitar, vocals
Hawk West : flute, automation
Dain Dizazzo: bass
Drew Bertrand: drums
Jack McFadden : drums, percussion, vocals (recording)