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Brilliant. Rubberneck
... this is one of my favorite recordings... Gnosis
If you've ever wanted one disc that you could
listen to over and over, and discover something new each time, this is
it ! Expose
Rubberneck
Imagine Jon Anderson fronting an American avant-garde rock
group (but maybe he did get close to the edge on parts of Tales and Relayer!).
Hunger's Teeth is the most exciting rock album I've heard this year. No,
not Anderson exactly, but Robert Drake's vocals do bear a striking resemblance
to the Yes man's "angelic" tenor. Is this "progressive
rock" for the '90's? A celebration of intricately layered arrangements
and polyrhythmic playing, effortlessly combining '70's grandeur with avant-rock,
contemporary collage and computing - and only one track in 11 over six
minutes! The musicianship (also David Kerman and Sanjay Kumar, plus guests)
is superb, not showy, always at the service of the experimental approach
to song structure - lots of convoluted instrumental passages that return
almost miraculously to "refrains". Brilliant. Chris Blackford
Gnosis
This album wasn't produced until 1994, making an eight-year
gap since Elements. The band had, in the mean time, participated in the
avant supergroup U Totem which was formed out of members of 5UU's and
Motor Totemist's Guild.
One positive change made in the time off is the bringing in of Bob Drake
as the new lead vocalist. While his voice can superficially be compared
to Jon Anderson of Yes, he does a better job of conveying the creepier
aspects of songs like Roan and Well... Not Chickenshit. Susanne Lewis
(Thinking Plague, Hail) also contributes some vocals to this release.
Another helpful addition to the sound is that of guesting electronics
fiend and musique-concrète beast Thomas DiMuzio. DiMuzio contributes
various effects throughout, but most valuable is his mind-bending Mangate,
a minimalist journey through tape effects. Rounding out the line-up are
Kerman and Kumar, giving their most powerful performances to date.
Compared to earlier efforts, everything takes a large step forward here.
The melodies, the production, the lyrics, the vocals, the variety of sounds
used and how effectively they are used, the tightness of the compositions...
honestly, everything. Some might find this a bit over-produced compared
to the earlier material, but I personally don't find it overly glossy.
This is one of the most accessible avant-progressive albums I've ever
encountered, without sacrificing any of the goods. Material ranges from
pure experimentation to ironic song-oriented material to twisted barbershop
quartet and more.
I would love to say more, but the fact that it is one of my favorite recordings
takes away much of my willingness to dissect it. All I will say is that
repeated listenings really will reap a pleasant harvest; I am still finding
little hidden goodies in the impossibly dense arrangements. If there is
such a thing as magic, it is surely present here. Sean McFee
Expose
Ever wonder what some of the classic progressive bands would
sound like today had they maintained their edge and not grown lazy and
comfortable and become caricatures of themselves ? Enter the 5UU's. Take
the experimental rock spirit, add some influences in varying combinations
from Henry Cow, Frank Zappa, Yes, The Beatles and Gentle Giant, mix it
all together and send it into overdrive, and you might have some idea
of where these guys are going. Their music is a constantly changing stream
of ideas, very complex, with irregular time sigs and liberal use of disonnance
within their melodic framework - yet it's all fairly accessible too, tied
together by Bob Drake's Jon Anderson-like vocals. Even those already familiar
with the band on their early releases Bel Marduk & Tiamat and Elements
may be in for a surprise here as well, as this is a major step forward
for them.
A trio of Sanjay Kumar (keys), David Kerman (drums,guitar,keys) and Bob
Drake (vocals,bass,guitars,violin), Thomas DiMuzio is also credited with
"electronic and computer generated sounds" and is responsible
for some of the more experimental moments on the disc. Kumar and Kerman
were both members of previous 5UU's incarnations, as well as U-Totem,
and Drake was a member of Thinking Plague and Hail. Guesting on selected
tracks are Suzanne Lewis (also of TP and Hail), James Grigsby (of U-Totem),
and Michelle Bos. If you've ever wanted one disc that you could listen
to over and over, and discover something new each time, this is it ! From
the first notes of "Well, Not Chickenshit," through the experimental
voice treatments on "Mangate," the mysterious cadence in "Geronimo,"
an out-of-place barber shop quartet on "The Shears," the Zappa-esque
opening riff of "Bachelor Needle," Suzanne's vocal on "Equus,"
right out to the twisted and abrupt ending of "Traveler Waits For
No One," this is an album that will demand repeated listenings. Hunger's
Teeth gets my highest recommendation, and will definitely be among my
top ten for 1994. Peter Thelan
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