“Now they have two people to shout at,” Rosenblatt said.
That’s because he’s teamed up with singer/songwriter Talia Osteen and the pair share lead vocals and tight harmonies.
“It’s definitely very different,” Rosenblatt said. “This is the first time I’m not the only front-man and I really like it a lot. I’ve always loved harmonies and now we get to do them throughout.”
Osteen, who sang in an all-female Jewish trio called “Visions,” met Rosenblatt at a meeting in New York when he inquired about getting some of his music in films. A vice president of production for an independent film company, Osteen said she liked Rosenblatt’s music and soon suggested they work together on songwriting. Each one wound up moving to Los Angeles. They worked on the song “Waterproof,” about the wish of making oneself immune to heartache. There was one version with Rosenblatt on lead vocals, another version with Osteen on lead vocals and one where they shared the lead vocals. Both in their 20’s, the two planned to pitch it to a major artist, but then realized they should step up to the plate themselves.
“Neither of us intended for it to become a band,” Osteen said. “Everything just kind of snowballed. Everybody else was saying, ‘the songs sound good. Don’t give them away to anybody else.’ We realized we really had something.”
The Wellspring has two EP Release shows coming up. On Thursday, July 29, the band will perform at Rockwood Music Hall-Stage 2 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan at 9 p.m. The group also performs at The Hotel Café in Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 1.
The five songs feature skillful harmonies, in a genre that is pop/folk with a dash of rock. “Waterproof,” has a chorus that is beautifully hypnotic with a tone that is reminiscent to The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Porcelain.” The catchy “Not Out Loud,” features an introspective hook that brings to mind the frustrating stagnation of not being able to share one’s feelings, perhaps out of fear of rejection. There are a few moments on the EP where Rosenblatt sounds like a less breathy Eliot Smith and Osteen sounds like a less quirky Regina Spektor. The first track, “Uncertainty,” shares the notion of water as an agent for discovery: “Here I am/toes right at the edge/of a new beginning, once again.” Osteen said the band’s name is partly inspired by the poet Khalil Gibran, who refers to “the hidden well-spring of your soul.”
Osteen said the group’s song lyrics “explore the gray areas that aren’t black or white.”
Blue Fringe, a widely popular American Jewish rock band, sold more than 30,000 albums, and was featured in the documentary, “The Chosen Ones.”
“Their music was already pop and contemporary and I loved what they did,” Osteen said.
She added that while the lyrics of The Wellspring aren’t religious in nature, they are spiritual and intended to be inspirational. Both artists say they are happy to be working with the other.
“He’s got such a good soul,” Osteen said of Rosenblatt. “He’s one of the best people I know.”
Rosenblatt returned the favor.
“She’s extremely talented, very driven and incredibly optimistic,” he said. “We’ve become close friends.”
The group’s website, www.welovethewellspring.com goes live on July 29 and tracks from the EP will be available on the site as well as on iTunes.