Page 32 - May 2017 Edition

ALBUM REVIEWS
BY BEVERLEY NAPALM
YASMINE HAMDAN
Al Jamilat
(Crammed Discs)
I am fascinated with this CD. It arrived at Napalm HQ out of the blue, and is quite the unex- pected hit in our household. I am not a huge aficionado of World Music by any means. I like a bit of Ska and reggae (don’t we all), but my knowledge of Middle Eastern music is some- what lacking. Yasmine Hamdams 2nd full length CD is a delicious mix of styles and ethnicity and is clearly well planned out and brilliantly constructed. Ms. Hamdam was born in Beirut, and has a remarkable ethereal voice. She uses it with grace and skill to perfectly project her refreshing take on Middle Eastern pop music. The music on the 11 songs that make up Al Jamilat (The Beautiful Ones) encompasses some fascinating elements, not often found rub- bing shoulders with each other in the same song.
On first casual listen it initially seems slightly confused and all over the place, but in a good way, I hasten to add. Ideas? Sure! I love them! Keep ‘em coming ... The album opener “Douss” starts off in an unassuming manner, with a typical (Western) sounding folksy two chord acoustic guitar refrain. But it is when the vocals enter that the magic really starts and Ms. Hamdan’s uniqueness becomes apparent. Singing in Lebanese, often using traditional sounding Eastern scales over a mostly Western flavored musical backdrop, it’s a curious clash of styles that on paper may seem overly academic. However, the execution of each song is faultless. It is beautiful and enthralling.
There are so many great ideas bristling out of each song I am rewarded with something new on each repeated play. As the CD progresses, the music becomes slightly more way- ward and confident, with a kaleidoscope of assembled sounds cherry-picked from around the globe. In many of the songs, beats are emphasized away from the expected 2nd and 4th beat (as is the norm in Western Rock music).
My favorite is the album closer, the curiously titled “Ta3ala” that limps along with a deliber- ate slightly out-of-time drum loop, upon which sits a sparse arrangement of Eastern violin, synth bass washes, backwards guitar loops and vocals. As a whole this album works on many levels. Musicians will be enthralled by the riot of colors on display. Politically, in these testing times, this marriage of cultures could potentially be viewed as a small step towards toler- ance. Music has the power to unite after all. Or, of course – simply just turn it up and enjoy it for what it really is. A beautifully sung, and fun avant-pop record.
UVTV
Glass
(Deranged Records)
From Gainesville Florida, female fronted trio UVTV confidently straddle crash-pop, punk, and shoe gaze, condensing their trim songs into an irresistible and tidy package. After a well received demo, and a 7-inch on Flagstaff’s very own Emotional Response label, comes the debut LP Glass. It is the perfect title for their debut LP, and a great summation for their jagged pop sound.
Album opener “Wasting Away” is a delightful 1 minute 2 second blast of punk-pop per- fection. It comes across sounding like The Primitives on amphetamines. Indeed, “You’re High,” another LP highlight, continues the vibe, and could well have been the Top Ten fol- low up to “Crash” that the Primitives never got around to writing. There’s a definite UK ‘80s indie-fuzz pop feeling going throughout the songs which I don’t doubt that these babes are too young to have encountered firsthand. But that’s cool. It’s a rich musical oeuvre for UVTV to mine and re-invent for themselves. It also gives them a pop edge within the punk community.
Glass was recorded in just two days in a disused train station in Gainesville, using 2 mics and a analog 8-track recorder. For a back-to-basics recording approach it sounds fantastic. (That’s the power of analog, right?) The buzz saw trebly guitar is powerful without being over bearing. The bass rumbles along holding steady, and the drums are precise and primal. The vocals, predominantly sung by Rose Vastola, are bittersweet, occasionally dark such as on the brooding gothic sprawl of album closer “Dissolve.” Elsewhere guitarist Ian Bernacett steps up to help out on backing vocals, as well as singing lead vocal on the post-punk angu- lar “Fear.” A confident and promising debut.
Note:- UVTV are currently on tour. For you early birds who may have picked up this copy of the Noise hot off the presses, take note UVTV play Flagstaff Firecreek on Monday May 1st with Flagstaff’s very own Egg Princess and Rabbit Trap, plus Kill Your TV from Phoenix.
32 • MAY 2017 | the NOISE arts & news | www
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