Uplift is four guys with one dream and infinite vision, inspired by Reggae and Rock and all their music heroes. The band members who are from the Imperial Valley 120 miles East of San Diego, are Joche – (Vocals/Guitar), Tricky Ricky (Bass), Goose (Drums) and Jacob (Guitar). These guys are relatively unknown to the rest of us, but they are absolutely tremendous musicians. If you like great grooves and a high recording quality then get this.
Uplift is one of those bands that just hits you. They have a ton of great songs. They write good music, with positive lyrics and spread a lot of love in their lyrics. In fact their latest EP, “Catch A Feel”, could have been entitled ‘Catch A Feel of Love’, as the five tracks sound like the book of love – both universal and personal – which is a nice fresh touch, considering all the lamenting music we have to deal with daily.
And you’ll ‘catch a feel’ right from the opening slow-burner, “Around”, with its hypnotically jangling guitars and the emotional sun-drenched vocals. It’s hard not to nod your slowly, or tap your foot to this smoothly understated gem.
Influenced by everything from the mainstream popularity of Reggae to California feel music, to even a bit of rock, Uplift’s “Catch A Feel” EP fully puts out a signature sound the four piece band will surely be engraving in fan’s ears going forward.
“Feel Good” grabs the listener’s attention the second you hit play and let the first few chords of the track fill the room’s atmosphere. Vocalist Joche embraces a melodic, soulful, while the track instantly gives the listener a taste of just about everything that this EP holds in store for them, whether it’s a snazzy touch of tasteful drumming or some great catchy guitar riffs, it all comes in a completely enticing package waiting to be unwrapped.
For being a band so into creating a vibe, Uplift’s attention to detail is impeccable. Whether it’s one of the guitar lines found on “Telephone” or “You”, or the drum and percussion patterns highlighted on a track like “Be Free,” the great variation really helps to round out the EP, within a genre that can get somewhat repetitive or indistinct over time. “You” is one of my personal favorites, drawing a very subtle relaxed aura around a crunchy and driving guitar sound.
Strangely enough, as it is in hard rock, so it is in reggae – an essential part of gaining credibility and engaging large audiences depends on the quality of the lead vocals. If the lead voice does not fit the genre like a glove, the band will almost certainly be doomed – the musical history books are full of those – no matter how good the music is.
Luckily for Uplift they have the perfect match with Joche, whose voice drips with emotion and authenticity. The rest of the boys, bring home the bacon, so to speak, by turning in solid performances that create just the right musical feel for Joche to wallow in. So after a couple of spins of this EP, it will be hard for you not to “Catch The Feel”. And if you don’t feel it, check your pulse…or change your pusher!
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