Double U, Double V, Double W, Z

[rating:7.5/10]

With 9 tracks, the UUVVWWZ debut is not exactly a full length and not exactly an EP. What it is, however, is something different and interesting. Out on Saddle Creek Records yesterday, the album is a rare example of music that truly cannot be pigeonholed into any genre, or even combination of genres. If Bjork and Karen O joined forces with Captain Beefheart and Deerhoof, you’d begin to get an idea of what UUVVWWZ sounds like.

Vocalist Teal Gardner evokes a young, wailing Karen O at times, while at others her voice is syrupy sweet. Her vocal stylings seem quite prone to spontaneous freakouts that are accompanied by the sometimes frantic or improv-like Jazz solos within the tunes.

Screechy guitars, drumming that ranges from a traditional jazz style to the backbeat of a punk rock song, and driving, sometimes groovy bass lines are thrown together to create a sound that is both beautifully flowing and somewhat disjointed at the same time. This seeming contraction appropriate as the band almost sounds like a contradiction itself.

Every song has it’s own identity, some with multiple identities. However, my favorite track is “Green Starred Sleeve”. The track evokes a circus-like gypsy sound, while having an oddly technical math-rock feel. The vocals range in the track from simple and pretty to raucous and powerful. The song seems to build up and break down throughout. My only gripe with the song is that it sounds like it needs a stronger finish. Then again, it flows right into the next track, “Trapezeus”, which opens up quite aggressively. Perhaps the final build up in “Green Starred Sleeve” is a lead in to the aggression of “Trapezeus”. Either way, one of 9 solid tracks.

While this album is not something I’d typically consider my style, it does remind me of some music that I was into at different points in my life, The Blood Brothers and Danielson to be exact. And, I’d make the claim that if a band can remind you of The Blood Brothers and a totally different type of band like Danielson, they are certainly a band that cannot be defined… such is UUVVWWZ. Obscure, different, fresh, exciting, and well worth a listen. Who knows, you may finds yourself willing to branch into new territories.

This is undoubtedly going to be a critical success. As far as the average listener, they probably won’t get it… but those will likely become the cult of UUVVWWZ. A small, hardcore fanbase and critical support should expose this band to many discerning music fans. Where they go from there is anybody’s guess, but one thing is for sure… the talent and creativity of UUVVWWZ poises the band to becomes something special.

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~ by thepaintedman on July 8, 2009.