hunger's teeth

5uu's

rer megacorp

1994 CD

 

 

play | buy

reviews

“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