Do You Keep It Close
I posted a track from Uzi & Ari's first record last year some time, so I was really pleased when Ben decided to send me a copy of their latest. It's a big difference from the first record, which was a lot of good indie rock that reminded me of Haywood. This new one reminds me more of the Mobius Band, and even Radiohead. Ben show's tons of growth here, both in terms of songwriting and in his vocal confidence. It's totally an engaging listen.
Everytime I hear this song I pick up something new. It runs through a few different sections, exploring a melodic line over different beats and instrumentation, oftentimes bringing in female harmonies all the while retaining a that tiny thumping bass in the background. Sometimes it's guitar, sometimes it's live drums, sometimes it's a quiet keyboard. No matter what it's a wonderful song, and as I sit here working late into the night I love having it there for me. The timing could be a little better -- this is by no means a summer anthem, but that's really beside the point. It's a cool spring night, and despite some dark undertones, I think the song is ultimately hopeful. It's also completely irony free -- which is something I can really get behind these days.
Once the end comes and all the elements finally join together it's a perfect release of tension, lasting only a moment before the song is gone again. I'm really happy with the way this turned out, and glad that Uzi & Ari are still making music. They're just on the tail end of a short western tour. I missed their two LA dates because I was out of town, but I'm totally kicking myself. There are dates on their myspace page -- so check it out if you live in Topeka or Boulder.
So this is the first real song of the new record. The rest of the record is quite good, and is a nice moody album that's beautifully recorded. Definitely recommended. You can pick it up for 10 bucks from Crying Girl Records.