You remember the day well
After that it was all hell
And the only answer's "just because"
Pressed into service
Ever tired and nervous
You might end up dying for a cause
You might end up dying for a cause
You might end up dying just because
You might end up dying just because
When your ashes are scattered to the wind
Who will know where those ashes have been?
Heavy in the saddle
Forced into battle
Oblivion is working overtime
Hung up on a lost thought
On a fight that can't be fought
Please do not let fall
The most important things they say of all
Not the most important of all
And when all is said and done
Mother nature won't be outdone
Caught in a daydream
Not as it might seem
While a darkness seeks to overcome
Hung up on a lost thought
A fight no longer fought
The voices call and call
The most important things they say of all
The most important things they say of all
Night that falls
Night that goes
Night that returns
Night that falls
Night that goes
Night that returns
UWUW (pronounced you-you) have just announced the release of their debut, self-titled LP with their lead single Scattered Ashes. With some of Toronto’s most experienced and revered musicians making this project possible, it’s no wonder why the sonic presence of this project demands your attention and doesn’t let you go. The impressive cast of players includes Jason Haberman of Dan Mangan and Yeahsun, Jay Anderson of Badge Epoque Ensemble, Biblical and Lammping, and Ian Blurton of Ian Blurton’s Future Now, Change of Heart, and C’mon. Giving the songs a voice are two of Toronto’s most distinctive songwriters: Chris A. Cummings aka Marker Starling, adding his distinct, easy-glide, story-telling charm to Box Office Poison, and Scattered Ashes, and Drew Smith (Bunny, The Bicycles), providing his trademark, 60s harmony pop and lyrical prowess to Staircase and Landlord. Scattered Ashes is the first offering from their upcoming self-titled album on We Are Busy Bodies, due out October 21st, 2022. Fans of Euroboys, T2, and Manfred Mann Chapter Three will be enamored with these exceptionally crafted and exciting compositions.
The lead single Scattered Ashes breathes soul and rock, while blurring sounds and influences which call to mind James Brown’s horn section and the compositional layers of experimental Beach Boys recordings. In response to the meaning behind his lyrics, singer Marker Starling says, “I attempted to shoehorn every stray apocalyptic thought I had circa Summer of 2021 into the song, including readings from the screenplay of Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville (1965). The world is ending, or perhaps, as Sun Ra believed, we're already past the end of the world. You might end up dying for a cause, or even "just because." Who knows what tomorrow may bring, and like The Zombies, being forever Hung Up on a Dream—in this case, a lost vision of a kind of hippie or punk utopia—is the only way to live your life, the only way to maintain a healing state of mind”.
UWUW came into being when Jay Anderson and Ian Blurton came together through a run of shows, backing mutual friend and singer/songwriter, Kate Boothman as her drummer, and guitarist, respectively. Anderson suggested bringing in Jason Haberman, a talented bassist, who Anderson had seen play with Toronto indie-folk band, The Wooden Sky. Realizing they didn’t want an instrumental record, they layered on bright horns and smooth vocals, lifting the songs from instrumental jams, to the undefinable yet distinctive sound that is, UWUW. Saxophonist, Jay Hey, was brought in to provide horn arrangements, along with Tom Richardson on trombone and Patrick McGroarty on trumpet, all three contributing on every song. The result is a blissfully cool album with music that will appeal to all listeners, from record store snobs, garage rock slobs, and even psych-pop heartthrobs!
credits
released October 21, 2022
Jason Haberman - Bass, Keys
Jay Anderson - Drums, Percussion
Ian Blurton - Guitar, Keys, Vocals, Engineering, Mixing
Chris Cummings - Vocals on 'Scattered Ashes' and 'Box Office Poison'
Drew Smith - Vocals on 'Staircase To The End Of The Night' and 'landlord'
Jay Hay - Horn Arrangements, Saxophone
Tom Richards - Trombone
Patric McGroarty - Trumpet
Gavin Bradley Gardiner - Mastering
Sleeve Design - Nick Sewell
UWUW came into being when Jay Anderson and Ian Blurton came together through a run of shows, backing mutual friend, Kate
Boothman. They then brought Jay Haberman into the fold. Realizing they didn’t want an instrumental record, they layered on bright horns and smooth vocals, lifting the songs from instrumental jams, to the undefinable yet distinctive sound that is, UWUW....more
It's only four tracks, yes, but it's four tracks of great cosmic psychedelia.
Here's my full review - https://www.7thlevelmusic.com/?p=12710 Nik Havert
The flac version of this sounds great in my truck... not a crunch, clip or boom to be heard. That, in itself, gets this major points.
This is a lovely combination of early Floyd, U2 and a few San Francisco bands from the '60s with a heavy dose of Helmet tossed in. It's definitely best of breed when it comes to modern psych stuff. Even without a Hammond B3, it gets an easy A+... rick-taylor
The Brooklyn band deliver a blissful psychedelic rock album steeped in sci-fi and spirituality, awash with organs, strings, and reverb. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 23, 2021
Former members of Phenomenal Handclap Band expand on their “everything but the kitchen sink” approach, adding rich vocals and finely-textured arrangements. Bandcamp Album of the Day Sep 30, 2016
For some reason, what I previewed and the real songs was somewhat different - maybe because of the cover art?
But I definitely don't regret something more spacial than expected. The recent Ocean drifting in space. frankwurst