I first heard about The Upstart when acquiring a demo record of Columbus’ Set Audio at Worst Kept Secret Fest this past July of 2013. It was The Upstart’s own drummer Aaron McCann who was pawning off said demos and accompanying t-shirts to passersby. As I dutifully (as part of my networking duties for this blog) began tracking The Upstart’s undertaking of this debut record, Still Haven’t Won, I couldn’t help but feel a bit apprehensive when I saw a update one afternoon that alluded to cranking out a half dozen songs in one afternoon. Good art takes its time to develop, right? Would this adversely affect the outcome of Still Haven’t Won?

The result of what many would think is a rushed time in the studio is ten tracks that are remarkably well put together. Samantha Devoe carries on from song to song seemingly effortlessly, backed by a prominent rhythm section. In fact, the primary casualty seems to be  the guitar, which is a bit overlooked in the mix. The licks are intricate but not overdone. Front and center is Samantha’s voice, and it should be that way. One of the best examples of this synergy emerges in “Due Time”, a track with an intro that begs to be replayed, and possibly blasted in arenas. The melodies are catchy but not outright poppy.

Still Haven’t Won amounts to a straightforward rock n’ roll record that is full of interesting nuances if you know to look for them. The Pat Benetar-esque vocals of Devoe are the main attraction, but interesting drum fills, steady bass, and groovy guitar playing balance out the record. The status of The Upstart is a bit questionable at the moment, but there’s no doubt in my mind that they are a band to be watched in the Midwest.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2231799688 size=medium bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5]

Score: 3.8/5

The band is on Facebook and you can buy the album on bandcamp.