Monday 21 March 2016

Uxo - "Uxo" (Album Review)

By: Chris Bull

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 29/01/2016
Label: Reptilian Records


This album is a great example of what can happen when two legends of the noise rock scene combine to pay homage to their musical influences. It's filthy, rough around the edges and it doesn't give a fuck. There are few bands out there that can truly say that.

“UXO” LP track listing:

1). Bitter
2). Trauma
3). Blind Suicide
4). Redlegs
5). Everything’s A Mistake
6). This Won’t Take Long
7). User

The Review:

When members of Unsane and Today Is The Day get together to jam, you can bet there'll be some noisy stuff going on. That's exactly what you'll get with UXO's first self titled effort. With the band having completed a mini North American tour, you can bet this ain't a throwaway side project, this is the real deal.

Sounding somewhere between 'Blood Run'/'Visqueen' era Unsane and Today Is The Day's Amphetamine Reptile trio of albums, this kicks and screams with flailing limbs; 'Bitter' has a laid back main riff and steady no frills drumming with Messrs Austin and Spencer trading vocal duties to great effect. The more energetic 'Trauma' with its driving rhythm and 'Blind Suicide' with its trademark Austin snarl and bone sawing chorus, kick things into hyperdrive.

'Redlegs' sounds like it could be on an early Unsane release (this is in no way a bad thing), it just has that one, two punch normally associated with them. Factor in some high pitch Austin screams and it changes the complexion of the track. Following from that is the filthy Helmet meets Mudhoney swagger of 'Everything's a Mistake' which has an almost downtrodden feel to it. 'This Won't Take Long' brings more trademark Spencer riffs on top of its pummeling drums before the finality of 'Loser' sounding like some amalgamation of Steel Pole Bathtub and Butthole Surfers. Both Spencer and Austin combine on the vocals to give it e very gritty and furious edge.

This album is a great example of what can happen when two legends of the noise rock scene combine to pay homage to their musical influences. It's filthy, rough around the edges and it doesn't give a fuck. There are few bands out there that can truly say that.

“UXO” is available here



Band info: facebook