Ultrasound – Real Britannia (Classic Album Club Records)
LP / CD / DL
2 December 2016
8 / 10
Review by Jay Stansfield.
Opening with ‘Kon-Tiki’ is like Pulp, The Stone Roses
and The Pogues all rolled into one. It sports a massively nostalgic
sound with nice thick guitars and a bit of Brian May tone on the guitar
solo all spaced out with some delay. It’s also a bit sad too with the lyrics
“I’ll never go home again, they won’t find me” making it sound like either a
missing person or running away from everything. ‘God’s Gift’ has some
little key changes in there not too dissimilar to Cardiacs which is
marvellous to hear and what sound like Mellotron strings bending up and down in
there too Flaming Lips stylee. It has a really surprising twist in the
middle, I love musical twists and it’s worth listening to (no spoilers here!)
because it changes so dramatically and beautifully.
One noticeable thing about this album is its maturity and, in places,
pure rock. Like ‘Soul Girl’ with its Black Sabbath drive, its Stooges
tone covered in female vocals and unconventional structure blending in a
Krautrock jam with synths and droning bass falling into a sprawling and epic
90’s pop-rock finale. It all calms down a bit on ‘No Man’s Land’ until
the flute solo, heavy slamming guitars, thumping drums and balls blast out and
finish you off.
‘Asylum’ is a beautiful track and has some rich harmonies and twinkles and
sparkles, Tiny’s lovely vocal melody leads it along through the pop infused
grandiose arrangement into an almost Beatles-esque outro. As it
transitions gently into ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ we’re left with a choral
nod to Cardiacs again busting its guts into early-Genesis and
ploughing into another driving, multi-layered jam before returning to its
clearly prog-infused tremblings. It doesn’t end though. It goes on for twenty
minutes twirling and turning through 70’s rock, experimental samples, Kevin
Ayres, Pink Floyd, Knifeworld...it’s a real journey and a
very accomplished one at that that ends with some very gentle, intimate singing
accompanied by flutes. I’ve never seen them live (yet) but I would imagine they
are awesome to watch if this album is anything to go by.
Published on Louder Than War 21/11/16 - here
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