Fans can thank The Cure-Alls’ guitarist Steph Curran and Johnson’s own cat, Ginger, for this rockin’ little ditty that’s just the latest in a slew of excellent new singles released since Talk Talk Talk dropped in 2018. Originally slated to be on an upcoming acoustic album by Johnson, the track was reconstructed after Curran heard it and recommended an alternate version for the full band. Ginger comes into play as the content of the song delves into life on the road and a yearning for stability.
But I digress!
In the press release for the track, INXS and Social Distortion are mentioned in the FFO section (That’s “For Fans Of” if you didn’t know already…) and upon hearing “The Upside” fans can definitely hear the Pop sensibilities of those iconic Aussies combined with the hard hitting crunch of the Rawkers from Fullerton.
Beginning with a shimmering intro a little reminiscent of Bryan Adams’ “Run To You” before exploding from your speakers into a full-blown rawker, “The Upside” manages to go bigger with the sound of The Cure-Alls with Nick Hall’s drums sounding even more fierce, Curran’s shreds even more savage, and Johnson’s words even more heartfelt.
“The Upside” is out now through A Diamond Heart Production! And can be streamed and/or downloaded by clicking here. For more on Carissa Johnson, including where you can catch her live before the year is through, head here, here, or here.