5UU'S

No prizes whatsoever for guessing this is a live recording, and where and when it took place. This was the first tour after drummer Dave Kernan had decided to reform the band with Bob Drake (bass, vocals), but with keyboard player Sanjay Kumar unavailable for the tour (although he did play on the album released prior, 'Hunger's Teeth'), they invited Scott Brazieal to take his place, with Mike Johnson (guitar, lap steel guitar, backing vocals) making up the final element of the band. Thanks to labels such as Cuneiform and Dur et Doux I have come to realise that my musical education regarding RIO is sadly very lacking indeed, but on a positive side I get to discover new music from bands who already have an established back catalogue! 5UU'S released two albums in the Eighties, with quite different line- ups, before releasing four more when they reformed, plus another just a few years back. The constant through this has been Dave Kernan, and I can see I have quite a lot to get my teeth into. This recent release is their only live album to date, which given the quality of what I am listening to is nothing short of a travesty, as music such as this needs to be heard.

Imagine if you will Yes taking a rather different turn during their career, and instead of moving into symphonic instead became a RIO outfit then you may have some idea of just what these guys were like. Anderson style vocals, Squire- style heavy choppy and distorted bass, guitar and keyboards moving in different directions, this is RIO being mixed with other styles of Prog in ways which should never make perfect sense but somehow do. I can only hope this album has been released with the notes contained in the press release, as each of those involved has contributed to what took place during that period (apparently Scott fell into a deep sleep before the gig and no-one could find him, and when they finally did they got him onto the stage before he was fully awake but somehow kicked into "Equus"). Yet another "New" prog band to me, if their recorded output is anything like this live release then they should be known by far more than a select few. This is true prog as it pushes the boundaries of RIO, something which is rare indeed, and fans of symphonic bands such as Yes and ELP will find much here to enjoy, much to their confusion.

Kerman thankfully carries on the thread of endlessly intriguing music under the 5uu's moniker. Kerman's approach to arrangement, like his compatriot Bob Drake, draws from a vast kitchen sink overflowing with dirty stuff. So it's hard to give a sense of the overall feel of the album. Because of the repeating power riffs that happen on much of The Quiet in Your Bones, it maybe more approachable/recallable than other 5uu's. The low alto voice of Michelle Fuchs (of Basel-based collective Les Reines Prochaines) is a defining feature. In an avant-garde prog setting, it's impossible to avoid comparisons with Dagmar Krause. But Fuchs' voice is lower and earthier, never quite screeching. The album often has a ragged, homebrew quality. That's not a bad thing necessarily. Avant-prog has maybe gotten a little too genteel in the last 10 or 15 years. This album gets it back to being kind of a nasty bitch.

With "Abandonship," Dave KERMAN continues the 5 UU's concept as an almost solo adventure. Again this time, Dave writes all the cuts for the album and plays most of the instruments, being accompanied only by Deborah PERRY (singer of THINKING PLAGUE), Aviv BARAK (hand percussions) and Udi KOOMRAN (sound engineer). The music (?) On this album is as challenging as on "Regarding Purgatories," and it maintains the hallmark of 5 UU's: compositions firmly grounded in complex rhythmic structures, which are KERMAN's fascination. The melodies are even more dissonant and experimental than on previous albums; somehow they could be used as a reference to define today's avant-garde sound. Some compositions, such as 'Couple # 3 Is a Solo', 'Noah's Flame,' and 'Belly-Up' are fascinating examples of contemporary progressive. Those who already know the work of 5 UU's and listen to this album for the first time, maybe they will feel a little disappointed: KERMAN's music is becoming more abstract, less melodic and more inaccessible with each new album, but it indeed remains as one of the most original proposals within the current 'post-progressive'. - Martín HERNÁNDEZ

This album is one of the most interesting I've heard lately. Imagine a KING CRIMSON even darker than it already is, add a gothic and oppressive atmosphere, and you've got a good initial idea of ​​what this album sounds like. David KERMAN wrote all the pieces for the album, in addition to taking charge of almost all the instruments: guitars, keyboards, drums, bass, vocals, and strange noises. On this occasion, the rest of the group consists of Sanjay KUMAR (keyboards), Keith MACKSOUD (bass), Mark McCOIN (percussion), Deborah PERRY (vocals) and Charles TURNER (piano). The album, as its title indicates, reflects on the purgatories we have in life, and deals with themes such as loneliness, alienation from modern life and the force of destiny. Most of the compositions are based on dense layers of guitars and keyboards, marked with KERMAN's characteristic arrhythmic bars, on which they put irregular melodies, sinister songs, and a lot of strange noises. Quite a hearing challenge, which of course, I do not recommend to those with delicate ears! - Martín HERNÁNDEZ

3.5 stars. "Elements" combines the forces of the bands 5UU'S and MOTOR TOTEMIST GUILD plus we get five guests helping out this nine member super-group. One of my biggest issues with this album is the vocals of Curt Wilson, and while he is an upgrade over the vocals from the debut, he pales in my opinion with the vocals that are on the four albums that followed this one. In fact to my ears his vocals just don't suit the music, not like Susanne Lewis and Bob Drake who would sing for example on the followup to this called "Hunger's Teeth". Heck I wish Emily Hay was the singer here instead of just playing her flute. Even instrumentally I feel this is a step down from what would follow.

The album is under 37 minutes and divided into two sections. "The Ends & Means Of Privileges" is the first section and the first track is "Ignominies" a top three track for me. I believe that's bassoon to start from guest Eric Johnson as flute and more join in. This is melancholic but it turns fuller before 2 minutes and this sounds really good before settling right down as the vocals arrive. I do like when the intensity rises each time although they are brief sections contrasted each time with the more mellow vocal sections. Love the guitar 4 1/2 minutes in.

"Imperfections" features lots of piano melodies early on in an Avant soundscape. A calm with vocals follows and this is experimental to say the least although it stays fairly relaxed overall. "Resentments" is uptempo with the drums and piano standing out, vocals before a minute. Horns before 1 1/2 minutes as the vocals stop. I like the determined sound before 2 minutes then the vocals return after 3 minutes. "Acknowledgments" is almost folky with piano, cello and vocals. I'm really not into this but thankfully it's under 2 minutes.

"Elements" is a top three for me. Piano and some depth of sound here in this relaxed start. Vocals join in quickly. Heavy outbursts will be contrasted with the mellower sections. Dissonant horns before 2 1/2 minutes and I like the drum/ piano section that follows. It's building then the vocals return. The second half of the album is called "The Distrust Of Merits" and it begins with "In Life's Hands". An interesting soundscape to start then we get multi-vocals a minute in as Kerman comes to the fore on drums. Catchy stuff. A horn before 2 minutes. Discordant piano 3 1/2 minutes in then the vocals return.

"The Artist" is my final top three and it opens with the piano and drums both pounding away. Then it gets interesting instrumentally while the vocals join in. These contrasts will continue. Great sound before 3 minutes including the bass. "Causes Of Merit" doesn't do much for me as piano and vocals dominate. "The Futility Of Oneness" is the longest track at almost 7 minutes but man I can't get into the vocals here. Instrumentally this is incredible though. The vocals come across as being lame to begin with and they will come and go unfortunately. Love the experimental sounds after a minute as the vocals have stopped. The vocals are back sadly at 2 1/2 minutes but man the final minute or so is really good as the vocals have stopped again.

The last four studio albums from 5UU'S are amazing and they really are the standard when it comes to American Rio music. I just feel that it took a couple of records for them to get to their unique sound.

Florentine is hell-bent

6th album to 5uu's and this time 5uu's is mainly Dave Kerman all by himself, with almost no other players. This album recorded here in Tel Aviv, Israel, when Dave Kerman, the highly acclaimed avant-rock drummer-composer leaved in Israel for a couple of years. 'Tel Aviv' songs are 'Penguins on Dizengoff' and 'Hill of spring' (translation from 'Tel Aviv'). 'Penguins on Dizengoff' deal with the ridiculous Penguins statues that placed all around Dizengoff Street back in 2000. Indeed, the contradiction between the two could not be greater. North Pole Penguins could not survive in a hot, humidity summer day in Tel Aviv .Dave's humor and irony are here, in the nice tune of this not-long instrumental piece, featuring effects of trickling water in the middle section.

'Hill of spring' is a song that evolves from quite to soaring mood, with moving lyrics about a man who 'lost' in Tel Aviv. It reminds me some Israeli songs about Tel Aviv that written by some song writers and poetess. In fact, for me, Dave Kerman is a true lyricist and a song- writer, let alone an innovative drummer and pushing-the-boundaries avant-gardist. The line 'Florentine is hell-bent' from that song perhaps deals with Florentine street, that became a nice coffee-shops and galleries street, yet the surrounding environment has still been very industrial, with a lot of carpenter houses and welding shops.

As mentioned above, Dave is the almost-only instrumentalist in this album. The album sound is ruled by his very energetic drums, rhythms and percussion, (Also played by Aviv Barak, on 'Thoroughly modern Attila'). Most of the complicated and entangled tunes are done by Keyboards, with many different sounds and effects. Bass and electric guitars could be heard from time to time, but not on a regular basis as in a complete rock band. Various effects are all throughout, mainly street noises. Tel Aviv streets come alive in this album with street vendors voices, honking and car sirens. The Effects, samples, recordings, sound and production made by Udi Koomran, who did a great job, in a small, ordinary department in Tel Aviv. Well it seems to be that there is no need in picturesque farms in south of France in order to create valuable products (Heh Heh). In fact this album is a true cooperation between Dave and Udi right from the start, and one can feel it while listening.

Deborah Perry helped with her wonderful vocals, from Oregon, United States. Her vocals are always a pleasure for me, but for this time the tunes range seems to be very low for a female voice, even on the lower side, what make a less contribution for clarity and crystallite at some part of the already-complicated tunes. Indeed the vocals sound very 'bottomed' some times. Nevertheless, it's still a pleasure to listen to Deborah's singing, albeit this restriction.

Some more 'track information': from the longer tracks, my favorite is the closer 'Belly-Up': A very atmospheric track, without losing the edge. It features slow-down and fasten spoken vocals. It ends with acoustic guitars and interesting sounds and harmonies. And in Dave's usual manner, a little sting at the end. Another favorite of mine is the opener (track 2), 'Couple number 3 is a solo'. This song is about a lonely woman who dancing her life out, with a lot of rhythms, dance samples like Tango, trumpets blast, a great tap-dancing that performed live on the studio/department by Zahi Patish, And a pinch of Hebrew ('Mispar shalosh' means 'number 3').

In short, a highly recommended album that proves that a phenomenon like Dave can do it all by himself, in a small, inconvenient and restless country, certainly not the first place you would think of as a candidate for recording an edgy avant rock album. But don't get me wrong, I'm not against Dave doing some real band recordings, and in fact I'm willing for another album, it's been 13 years already.

By this review, I some kind of 'abandon' myself. I've decided on a 'relative retirement' from writing reviews, out of many reasons. I intend to finish my James Grigsby duties (U totem, Motor totemist guild), and maybe write some more very few reviews, and a bit of ratings. But it will take a long time, and there won't be much more than that. Goodbye than.

* More information about this album, from Dave himself, and nice pictures from Udi, at Udi's blog

udi-koomran.blogspot.co.il

This band was originally formed in the mid-1980s by one Dave Kerman, a drummer/composer who is well known in RIO circles. 5uu's are an American answer to the European Rock-In-Opposition movement of the late 1970s. Apparently the band name came from some graffiti by some street gang in Los Angeles. While inspired by RIO, there is also a strong Zappa influence as well. Kerman wrote most of the music on this album, which appears to have a horse theme throughout. This is the bands third album, with an 8 year gap since the last album. Before this album members of 5uu's joined members of Motor Totemist Guild to form the group U-Totem.

The band here is basically a three-piece with others guesting on the album (such as Thinking Plague vocalist Suzanne Lewis and electronic experimenter Thomas Dimuzio). But it is new member Bob Drake, a founding member of Thinking Plague, that turns Hunger's Teeth into something else. He did a lot of engineering work before joining 5uu's and his input is essential to the way the album sounds. Did I mention he sometimes sings like Jon Anderson and sometimes plays bass (a Rickenbacker) like Chris Squire? Yes...he does. This album almost sounds like Yes from an alternate universe where up is down, black is white and sex prevents pregnancy. A great album for a avant-prog newbie to start with in this sub-genre.

The music here sounds big for just a trio (Sanjay Kumar being the third member), but I have seen YouTube clips from this era where the live renditions of these songs don't sound very different to the studio versions. The opener and standout track is "Well...Not Chickensh*t" which is accessible yet complex as hell. The lyrics focus on employer's apathy towards their employees. Love the bass tone after 2 minutes, very aggressive sounding. Later it gets more phased sounding followed by a great atonal guitar solo. This track is full of great melodies on a variety of instruments. The violin in particular sounds great here. "Roan" is short but sweet. The galloping horses and the horn-like sounds on synth and violin at the beginning sound majestic. Features a great melodic guitar solo. This track is so perfect it doesn't need to be any longer.

"Mangate" features only Thomas Dimuzio who you hear throughout the album. This is an electronic/tape manipulated piece. Although he is the only performer here, it sounds like a woman's voice from some contemporary pop/R&B song is being manipulated. Banjo and altered vocals open "Geronimo." Basically the music rarely stays in one place. Repeated notes on keyboard brings the music into more chamber rock territory. The banjo part comes back but now played on harpsichord(?) backed by some truly spacey synth sounds. "Glue" has an avant-boogie-rock feel with some really weird sounding manipulated keyboard sounds.

"Opportunity Bangs" is the most Yes sounding song on here but its still very avant-rock oriented. Even features a Wakeman-style organ solo(!). This track changes quite a bit, going through different parts. Features a great minimalistic and atonal guitar solo. "The Shears" is an a cappella barber shop quartet ditty. Some sound effects in the background. This reminds me of the "King Crimson Barber Shop" track recorded during the sessions for Crimson's Three Of A Perfect Pair album. "Truth, Justice, And The American Way" starts out moody and cinematic sounding followed by very avant-garde piano playing.

Later on you hear a vaguely hip-hop style drumbeat go back and forth between the left and right channels as Drake does the vocals in an almost cheerleader chant sort of way. Drake engineered an Ice Cube album before recording this...maybe some influence rubbed off on Bob? "Equus" features Suzanne on lead vocals. Her words are in sync with a keyboard. After some avant-rock goes into a steady groove while some sounds are heard over top of it. The vocal part is reprised at the end. "Traveler Waits For No One" also features Suzanne on lead vocals. The music here at first is the most upbeat on the album; almost sounds like '70s Yes mixed with '80s New Wave.

Then it goes into some darker sounding, Zappa inspired avant-rock. Gets more intense and rockin' as it goes along. The track just sort of ends abruptly. This is one of the greatest prog albums from the 1990s that you are likely to ever hear. The music has a great balance between dissonance and melody. The sound and production (and playing) is nearly flawless. Recommended to the Yes fan who feels a little adventurous or any avant-prog fan not already familiar with this group. Great '90s prog. I can't quite give this 'masterpiece' status but I will give it a 4.5 rounded down to a very strong 4 stars.

A good start for beginners!

This one is the only album i'm familiar with well from 5uu's , i think it's the first proper RIO album i heard by any band , and it is one of the easiest albums in this genre to get started with. still if you are not a beginner in avant /rio music and you are not familiar with it , you are missing on a lot. the first time i heard it i didn't know exactly what to make of this , it doesn't have that warm sound of 70's prog , but still doesn't have any cheesy sounds of modern prog . but after a couple of listens it was revealed and i understood how progy it really is , what a special , exciting new look on music it is. as weird and unconventional as it may sound sometimes , in the same time it is really a normal prog rock album. music is carefully done , a lot of layers are used and so many details are inside incorporating guitar distorted lines , strings , vocals and more. it's not in your face so it will take a few spins to fully notice . but it's not all the time like that , you can have simpler parts too. music is really varied and doesn't feel like going the same road all the time. synths are changing , guitars are used in a very good taste , some string instruments also used top that with a great deep bass. what a wonderful sound!!

Getting started quite weird , the first 3 minutes on the album takes you on a great ride letting you inside the bands journey , totally progressive music with great breaks and a change of sound which is pretty neat , check out that bass coming in at 2:08 and changing the music with that great driving sound , violins are used too , giving it a very weird symphonic touch , some "normal" like parts with vocals fused with disturbing atmosphere , this track has it all and pretty much single handedly defines what it's all about.

What i also like is the fact that the music is juggling between dissonant and more melodic parts in the same song and some times few times in the same song. drums by mr. kerman is really unconventional to say the least and he really flows with the music having some weird signature times and have a lot of room to develop even when songs are constantly changing and are not long at all. he is a real master and should be known widely.

Highlights for me are : well...not chicke[&*!#] , roan, opportunity bangs , but of course everything is great , i also like " the shears" which is a weird a cappella with someone taking a hair cut in the back...funny stuff.

I struggled my self with the rating between 4 or 5 stars , but after hearing it again and writing my review , i'll give it a 4.5 stars rounded up because of their success bringing the RIO genre to the front and making it accessible and so much fun.

In conclusion the music presented is totally progressive , innovative , rocks , weird , experimental and professional. you get the feeling that it is like a big puzzle with all kinds of different shape parts and different colours which can not be put together , but after you listen carefuly and see the band build that puzzle , you can watch the big picture and realize what it is. it's a picture you won't see every day and it's beautiful!!

The first 5uu's album - very interesting indeed. You can feel 80's New Wave here, old-school progressive rock, and a little of god-knows-what (perhaps Henry Cow?) -- it's all very colorful. You can tell that whoever made this was young, and it's all the better for it.

The introductory track is beyond cheesy. Some mystical cymbals, reverse-fed vocals intoning words from a bad fantasy novel -- lead to some wonderful demo-tape synths and drum machines playing additive rhythms in shifting time signature. I love it.

"The Scale of Life" lopes through time signature changes every bar - and it's hella catchy! Curt Wilson never sounded better. The drums are incredibly exuberant - as if young Dave Kerman couldn't help but beat the living crap out of everything nearby.

"Compromisation" is a little lame. The lyrics are about the Porcupine's Dilemma, a topic viewers of Neon Genesis Evangelion should be familiar with... but enough about my nerdy hobbies -- this track has some cool gooshy accordion sounds and a nifty 9/4 bass pedal groove, but that's about it.

"Loyalty to Creation" starts nowhere and goes nowhere, fast. Gotta love that enthusiasm though! This album RUNS on enthusiasm, something sorely missed on recent Kerman releases, which are horribly dead by comparison...

"Ancient Internationalism" keeps a constant 12/4 tom groove throughout, which gets real obnoxious real quick. Love those unison synths, though. Modern music needs more synths.

"The Fear of Life" returns to the shifting meters of the early tracks - a welcome return. The durations and pitches were determined via chance -- the vocals were improvised on the spot. And it sounds GREAT.

"Contemporary Global Friction" is a track that was sadly deleted from the final cut in the "Point of Views" compilation. It opens with sounds like a bowling alley in the background; soon, vocals produced by The Residents appear (literally - Kerman phoned them for help!) -- these give way to an excellent percussion workout in the vein of Stravinsky. The finale is utterly bizarre - slowed down drums and shouted phonemes.

"Sporting" brings us back to stadium-prog land -- theatrical guitars, 15/8-to-the-floor drums... but only two melodic ideas. Ugh.

"Magic, Dogma, & Faith" is wonderful; we see the demo theme from the introduction fully realized; it comes together quite nicely.

A great, energetic debut album with plenty of excited drums. Definitely recommended!

I've been aware of Dave Kerman for some time, initially through his time as the drummer with Present and his involvement in Aranis' 2010 release, Roqueforte. I had been curious about this band for a while, and upon finding out that it was Dave Kerman who was responsible for almost everything on this album, my curiosity lead me to finally acquiring it.

Deborah Perry (from Thinking Plague, who I have not yet had the pleasure of exploring) does the vocals on this album, and the sound is by Udi Koomran. Other than a few guests, Dave does everything else himself here. Which is amazing because there is not a dud track on this album - everything is great!

The sound is generally agressive. The weirdness one expects from a lot of avant-prog, in terms of note selection and rhtyhms, are here. But you can tell that these tracks are composed by a drummer, for there are great rhythmic bases to all of them that really give the layers of music on top a lot of freedom and expression. Deborah's vocals are odd yet beautiful, and really fit well with the music.

There are definitely a few brilliant tracks on this album that really make it stand out. I should clarify - every track on this album is great, but there are a few that go beyond that, that stand to me as testaments to the validity of this genre of music as a rock form.

There is the simple "Doubt Be Met", which does not include as much of the density of some of the other tracks, instead relying on organ and Deborah's vocals to create a great but short piece. "Noah's Flame" must be mentioned, and is in my eyes the stand out track, featuring the best moments both instrumental and vocally, as well as being oddly catchy and aggressive. Couple #3 is a Solo is just odd, but in a very cool way, and perfectly composed.

If you are able to get your hands on this album, do so - you will not regret it.