This four track E.P. is the latest release from UNCLE BLACK, a three piece band from Suffolk. The band is made up of Les King on guitar and vocals, Michael Aldridge on bass, keyboards and vocals, and Paul Ashworth on drums. The band was formed in 2001, and this follows on from their ‘Earthling’ CD which was released in 2007. The band plays a mixture of pop, indie and folk which is instantly engaging and appealing.
The E.P. starts with ‘The Messenger’, a guitar folk strum with some nice melodies. The vocals are crisp and clear, with a nice line in imagery: - “The pale rose autumn sky, in the morning reminds me/ There won’t be light for long, and the evening will find me alone.” There is also a nice line which immediately struck a chord: “there’s an emptiness in the pit of my stomach.”
The second track, ‘Forward’ is an upbeat happy song with a great guitar line and some nice harmonies. The lyrics are all about looking to the future after being through some bad times and having them now behind you: “I believe it was in the winter, sent me back into the year/ Made me well again, mad me well again/ Until I see where I am going, you are the partner I want with me.”
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The last two tracks on the E.P. follow a different direction. ‘Dream, dream’ is a track that is virtually an instrumental, save for some echoey vocals that are completely indistinct. There is a slightly heavier indie pop sound with electric guitar upfront. In fact this reminded me very slightly of The Smiths, but with the added benefit of not having Morrissey!
The final track is an excellent slice of indie guitar pop, with some clever reflective lyrics:“See it in faces, I watch the total strangers/ as they go about their business in a way I can’t explain. It’s a different kind of day/ Without you and without words I cannot say.”
Overall, I found this a really refreshing blast, and think that this band will certainly be expanding their fan base very soon on the strength of these songs.
Uncle Black online
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