USI (EARS)

This album was my introduction to UJD, and because of it I've gone back and picked up all their albums before and since. What struck me about it was that it was so completely *different* from anything I'd heard before. Not exactly in a RIO sort of way, although that is there on this album to some extent. It's just the blend of prog, punk, jazz, and RIO all somehow put together in a form that actually works.

This is Jindra Dolansky's last album with the band, and he fires off some of his most incendiary saxophone lines to date. In places they seem to reach through the speakers and grab you by the usi(ears). But this is by no means the Dolansky show, the rest of the band is also great. It's also probably their heaviest album, and some of their best production to date. The melodies, counter melodies and (poly)rhythms are infectious. I don't speak a word of Czech but I find myself wanting to sing along with these incredibly accessible - and yet still complex - songs.

One standout track is Tenký led / Thin Ice for the great complex horn parts and rhythmic complexity. They've somehow stuffed a heavy prog epic into less than 4 minutes. In fact a lot of their songs are constructed in such a way as to give the illusion that they're much longer than they actually are. Usi / Ears is the real epic of the disc, with the crazy gang vocals and frenetic instrumental section. Pot / Sweat is another of my favorites because of the crazy rhythm/time signature and the stabbing saxophone solo.

I give it 4 stars. Like all UJD discs, it may take a few listens to "get it" but it's well worth the effort. The downside is that it's a bit short and isn't really their proggiest effort. It may be the easiest to get into if you're new to the band though.

3.5 stars really!!!

UJD's last 90's album and last with original saxman Jindra Dolanski, Usi (translated to ears) comes with an hilarious artwork representing ears as humans and what would be the inner gatefold illustration of the group's very peculiar perception of that organ's anatomy. Indeed Vetisek's arts never seem out of inspiration, especially that this is the first time I see that ugly green jewel case CD tray, that somehow fits very well the pink and green drawings. Aside from esthetics, this album's aesthetics are definitely also preserved abs Usi proves to be yet another worthy UJD album, and maybe even my "fave" (relatively speaking since I never got much into this band) with PZZ.

One of the improvements is that there are a few "songs" catchy and hum-able enough to make the album less arduous a listen. Indeed, Kovbojska (cowboy) reminds me of a Noir Désir hymn and Oko is a rather excellent follow-up with scat vocals. Both short and jumpy/happy, Strach is a great track. Unfortunately other uneven tracks like the title one, fail to bring even more maturity into this album as it is extremely intrusive (thrash-like) in its first part, but settling down much better in its vocal passages second part and frankly impressive call and response (vocals version the brass section) in its third movement and very hum-able in the finale. However the lengthy almost math-rock Pot and its follow-up Reka (in spite of an interesting chorus choir) of a lesser interest, mostly due to the useless virtuoso show-off.

While a bit short and not really their most complex, I'd suggest Usi as an introduction to this band, precisely because of the catchier music cleverly hidden throughout this album. Nt that this album would be anymore essential than others from the group and certainly no more than the rest of the numerous album of the "genre".