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UI
ANSWERS (SOUTHERN)
If experimental jam bands are your thing, you
might find something to like here.
They happen to not be mine, so perhaps
I'm not the best person to be reviewing
this album. But an assignment is an
assignment, so here we are. Ui performs
the kind of music that forces journalists
to invent somewhat ridiculous new
genres--think "post-ambient indie
rock"--for lack of an easily identifiable
style. This is what one would expect
from a band that has toured with similarly
adventurous acts such as Tortoise
and Labradford and whose melodies
sometimes conjure up fellow instrumentalists
5ive Style. But to simply tag Ui as
an experimental jam band may be unfair;
while there's plenty of experimenting
and loads of jamming on this all-instrumental
album, that dreaded tag conjures up
images of 20-minute drum solos and
extended instrumental wankery. Mercifully,
Ui recognizes the value of brevity
and keeps most tracks to five minutes
or shorter. Two bassists pair up with
a thick drum track to create a powerhouse
rhythm section supported by non-traditional
guitar arrangements. "Back Up," the
album's opener, quickly shifts tempo
from slow to fast to slow again, as
does "Get Hot, You Bum!" "Sunny Nights"
starts off sounding almost like a
dance track, with keyboards playing
against a salsa-inspired beat. Answers
may be frustrating for pop purists
such as yours truly, but fans of unique
instrumental arrangements and quirky
song structures will likely be pleased.
(Amanda Cantrell)
The Urgencies
Desolation
Chic (Bubble Empire)
Urgencies' frontman Al G is also a member
of the excellent Austin punk band, The
Ends, and while that band wears its
London '77 and Stiff Records influences
proudly, the Urgencies fly the flag
of trash-rock heroes like Johnny Thunders
(both Dolls and Heartbreakers-eras)
and Hanoi Rocks. Desolation Chic is
packed with chunky guitars and may lead
its listeners to strike any number of
classic air guitar poses, and there
is not a weak track on the entire record
(including the nice cover of the Plimsouls'
"Million Miles Away'), but here's
a hope for a couple of things to happen
in the band's future: first, that they
try to vary the song tempos because
just about everything on Desolation
Chic is in the middle, and secondly,
that they be careful of not getting
caught up in imitating their influences.
There is a fine line between acknowledging
one's heroes and trying too much to
be like them, and the Urgencies have
enough talent to do something uniquely
their own. (Andy Smith)
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