Customer Reviews

Ultra Vivid Scene

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The only one of UVS' three albums to receive, as far as I know, no attention whatsoever. But one of the most interesting, unusual, and marvellous albums of the late eighties. Unlike anything else being done at the time or since. Painfully overlooked and underappreciated. The sound is an utterly unique collage of styles, but the influence of noise rock (velvet underground, jesus and mary chain)and arty synth-rock (joy division, early new order)is certainly there. If UVS weren't completely forgotten in the music world, I'd be tempted to insist that they strongly influenced later groups. Yo La Tengo, especially in their marvellous album "Painful", often seem to be channelling UVS, and I find it impossible to believe that Spiritualized's "Ladies and Gentlemen we are floating in space" wasn't extracted directly from the third UVS album "Rev". Of the three albums, this one is the least refined, least poppy, and the most innovative and interesting. This forgotten album definitely deserves a second chance.

I first heard "Mercy Seat" in 1989 on a long since forgotten British Indie rock TV show called SNUB TV. I was 16 and cleaning my High School canteen after the bell rang to make some under age beer money. Fortunately about 8 quid was sacrificed on Ultra Vivid Scene, by the same. A sublime, sunny place occurred thereafter, which I am revisiting now - having found the tape in a shoebox exactly 10 years after this gem was made (with excellent early-Pixies era warped 4ad Vaughn Oliver design) and consequently have found myself with a somewhat ambiguous hat atop my critical noggin. My offering in support of this masterpice admits nostalgia: Mine at finding the tape and being well versed in its constructive influence (Lou Reed meets a sunday morning with no smack but lots of sugar and sympathetic, strong women) and that of Kurt Ralske's coy fetish/cliche Fender Twin-Mongery. Fact is I can't call this miserable or contrived for searing bedroom contemplations - this is not The Smiths's ultimate happy/sad handbag of dark glee and going-home-on-my-own-misery. UVS is the venerable I'm not a John on the Bowery but that grit still dreams so flowery... Selfish, beautiful music - no anthems outside of the listener's application of the urban, lonely charm of the songs. It is a classic record - very NYC, remarkably non-80's (dissonance and texture figuring highly in what could have easily been bouncy pop tunes) If you enjoy quality songwriting on par with Lou Reed's sometime Brill Building sensibility spliced over a little irritation of post-punk self obsession, here it is. Like I said, it's as good as the day I bought it.

The first of three gems. Perhaps sounds a little dated initially (clockwork drums) but it soon draws you into a oddly warm, decadent, perverse world. There's nothing here which is going to frighten the horses, but boy, it works. Understated, slightly lisping vocals, lyrically dark, excellent guitar work, perfectly constructed songs. Give that man a knighthood for services to indie.

This debut album by Ultra Vivid scene is a collection of drum machine based guitar songs written, engineered & produced entirely by a bedroom artist trying to find his voice. If that doesn't turn you off, & you have time to persevere with the songs on this album, you just may be one of the few who discover the gems buried in it. UVS was fortunate enough to be signed to the 4AD label to become siblings to luminaries, the likes of The Cocteau twins & Dead Can; however their genius didn't rub off on these songs. This is by no stretch a solid album, nor is it particularly innovative, trying on styles as varied as the campy side of Velvet underground to more contemporary artists such as the Jesus & Mary chain & whispery vocals, the likes of Elliot Smith in the search for UVS. However, some good, even great songs were written in the process. `Crash', a New York style pop song with slidy guitars & interesting pulsy, gated keyboard is a definite standout, as is `Nausea', probably the track most honest & indicative of where UVS could go with their own style. `Mercy seat', `Lynne Marie #1' & `This isn't real' are also very good tracks given a little time, & once you get through oh so mediocre tracks such as `Whore of God', `Dream of love' & `Kiss and a slap', you come to `How did it feel', a track I keep coming back to & `Hail Mary', a really beautiful song that The Jesus & Mary Chain would have been proud to have written, as the track name hints at. I'm glad I have this album & I'll always find a place in time to listen to it, however it's not for everyone. It goes pretty cheap these days; the cover art is classic 4AD (23 Envelope), so any 4AD fans out there wishing an addition to their collection couldn't go too wrong with it. And you just might be one of the few, like me, who love a few of these songs.