Uva Ursi is a promising,
fun to listen to local act that has a jangly sound and a singer, Avril McInally,
with a voice like Natalie Merchant in her 10,000 Maniacs heyday. However, their
sound is a little deeper. It's kind of dark at times, but uplifting at
others. The drums have a swagger to them, and the guitars and bass roll along.
The guitar has a little too much treble and reverb on most of the tracks, but
otherwise the recording is pretty solid. Opening track "Walk Away" gets the
album off to a good start and features a pretty cool breakdown section. I also
liked the old school REM guitar infused sound of "Other World". Check these guys
out. (Eddie Fleisher)
The 2nd installment of this
series continues in the pattern of greatness the first one began. The songs are
all unique and the recording is crisp. Fuzzy Box is definitely one of the most
promising new electronic labels. This time around we get 17 tracks. Carpark/Tigerbeat
6 artists Stars as Eyes deliver “When Things Go Wrong”, a very upbeat track that
features some pretty killer piano. Orange Cake Mix gives us "Beautiful Moriage
Vase", which I loved, and then T.F.O.M.S. Project gives us "C.O.M.", another
great track. Later in the record, we get another great Song from (Zenas)
Prime, “Poppy Box". It’s a spacey glitch number that is very atmospheric. Then,
to close the record, we’re treated to an eleven minute opus called "Paean" by
Fingernail, who has released records on such great labels as Darla and Skylab
Communications. This prog-electro (is that a genre yet?) number is like a mix
of Yes and any ambient electronic act, with a very "Pretty In Pink" 80's feel to
it. Very cool. This record is good. You need to go get it, I’m lucky I get it
for free. Ah, the joys of being an indie journalist. (Eddie Fleisher)
This
is one damned impressive CD. The songs are tight, melodic as hell, and very
catchy. I had heard of The Wildhearts before, but hadn't actually heard them
until this release. I know that many regard them as a neo-80's type cock
rocker, but the impression I got off of this album was of a blend of 80's
riff-rock with a more modern alternative melodicisim. "Stormy In The North,
Karma in the South", the CD's lead track, will stick in your head for days...and
I'm not kidding. "Putting It On", "If I Decide", "Return To Zero"...this album
has winner after winner on it. The only criticism I initially had about ‘Riff
After Riff’ was that it seemed a tad disjointed, like it was recorded in a
million different sessions. Well, there's a reason for that: Just as I was
getting ready to proclaim "the new Wildhearts album" to be a masterpiece of
no-bullshit rock N roll, I found out that it's just a collection of B-sides!
Wow! I guess that explains the "unevenness"....heh heh! Seriously, check this
out. If you like your rock melodic and with little excess, then The Heathen
Hippy thinks you will love it. (Taliesin Govannon)
Yellow
Swans – ‘Bring The Neon War Home’ (Narnack)
My dog went nuts when
this record began. The kettle pot shrieking at the beginning of "Police
Eternity" will hurt your ears. More than even, let's say, a kid 606 record.
It's a violent, abrasive, and very industrial song. It's a little much for an
opener, but it's quite different. This album is a mish mash of noise. It has a
very Oval meets Sonic Youth in an alley, and then Skinny puppy came by and beat
the crap out of both of them kind of sound. Moving along to track two, you
think it's gonna be a quiet track. Wow, were you wrong. This one is basically
just noise without even much of a beat. Track 3 I liked. Abrasive, but for some
reason, more bearable. I was impressed with the 11 and 12 minute lengths of the
last 2 songs. I'm a sucker for prog. This album is unique, but seriously, it
hurt my ears. If you're into experimental noise though, this is the new shit.
(Eddie Fleisher)
Uva Ursi is a promising,
fun to listen to local act that has a jangly sound and a singer, Avril McInally,
with a voice like Natalie Merchant in her 10,000 Maniacs heyday. However, their
sound is a little deeper. It's kind of dark at times, but uplifting at
others. The drums have a swagger to them, and the guitars and bass roll along.
The guitar has a little too much treble and reverb on most of the tracks, but
otherwise the recording is pretty solid. Opening track "Walk Away" gets the
album off to a good start and features a pretty cool breakdown section. I also
liked the old school REM guitar infused sound of "Other World". Check these guys
out. (Eddie Fleisher)
The 2nd installment of this
series continues in the pattern of greatness the first one began. The songs are
all unique and the recording is crisp. Fuzzy Box is definitely one of the most
promising new electronic labels. This time around we get 17 tracks. Carpark/Tigerbeat
6 artists Stars as Eyes deliver “When Things Go Wrong”, a very upbeat track that
features some pretty killer piano. Orange Cake Mix gives us "Beautiful Moriage
Vase", which I loved, and then T.F.O.M.S. Project gives us "C.O.M.", another
great track. Later in the record, we get another great Song from (Zenas)
Prime, “Poppy Box". It’s a spacey glitch number that is very atmospheric. Then,
to close the record, we’re treated to an eleven minute opus called "Paean" by
Fingernail, who has released records on such great labels as Darla and Skylab
Communications. This prog-electro (is that a genre yet?) number is like a mix
of Yes and any ambient electronic act, with a very "Pretty In Pink" 80's feel to
it. Very cool. This record is good. You need to go get it, I’m lucky I get it
for free. Ah, the joys of being an indie journalist. (Eddie Fleisher)
This
is one damned impressive CD. The songs are tight, melodic as hell, and very
catchy. I had heard of The Wildhearts before, but hadn't actually heard them
until this release. I know that many regard them as a neo-80's type cock
rocker, but the impression I got off of this album was of a blend of 80's
riff-rock with a more modern alternative melodicisim. "Stormy In The North,
Karma in the South", the CD's lead track, will stick in your head for days...and
I'm not kidding. "Putting It On", "If I Decide", "Return To Zero"...this album
has winner after winner on it. The only criticism I initially had about ‘Riff
After Riff’ was that it seemed a tad disjointed, like it was recorded in a
million different sessions. Well, there's a reason for that: Just as I was
getting ready to proclaim "the new Wildhearts album" to be a masterpiece of
no-bullshit rock N roll, I found out that it's just a collection of B-sides!
Wow! I guess that explains the "unevenness"....heh heh! Seriously, check this
out. If you like your rock melodic and with little excess, then The Heathen
Hippy thinks you will love it. (Taliesin Govannon)
My dog went nuts when
this record began. The kettle pot shrieking at the beginning of "Police
Eternity" will hurt your ears. More than even, let's say, a kid 606 record.
It's a violent, abrasive, and very industrial song. It's a little much for an
opener, but it's quite different. This album is a mish mash of noise. It has a
very Oval meets Sonic Youth in an alley, and then Skinny puppy came by and beat
the crap out of both of them kind of sound. Moving along to track two, you
think it's gonna be a quiet track. Wow, were you wrong. This one is basically
just noise without even much of a beat. Track 3 I liked. Abrasive, but for some
reason, more bearable. I was impressed with the 11 and 12 minute lengths of the
last 2 songs. I'm a sucker for prog. This album is unique, but seriously, it
hurt my ears. If you're into experimental noise though, this is the new shit.
(Eddie Fleisher)