REVIEW: UNDROP - UPROOTED

 

UNDROP - UPROOTED (Locomotive Music , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded in Undrop Govardhan Studios, Vrajamandala, Spain.

Mixed in kirios Studios, Madrid.

Produced by Tomas Rundquist

Cover Art / Design: Undrop, Locomotive.

Track List: 1-Lion, 2-Lets Take a Trip Down Memory Lane, 3-Moonlike Face, 4-Cyber Head, 5-The Mine Field, 6-1+1=3, 7-Elevation, 8-Without Roots, 9-Ragga, 10-Go Beyond Matter, 11-Calling Gopinath, 12-Live Today, 13-Crazy 4 U, 14-Positive !, 15-Mashed Potatoes Part II

A strange band. This the way I would define Undrop. While listening to their music some names came into my mind: Nirvana (listen the vocals in "Lion" specially when he screams Lioooon !!!) , The Police, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Adrian Belew, Beatles, some old style jazz guitarist (Charlie Christian?) and many many more. The result here is a really melodic album with an emphasis on hooks and in harmonies (some of them more weird than what one should have expected...heavy use of flat fifths in some choruses and prechoruses). Listen to "Moonlike Face" for to see what I am talking about, they start with a simple punk style and then they gate into a more interesting poppish/ grunge style or maybe check the opening of "Cyber Head" with the use of tremolo bar in the guitars and clean arpeggios through the verses. There is also a use of MIDI Guitar in there that sound almost like a keyboard in some parts like in "1+1=3". Interesting. Favorite tracks: "Moonlike Face", "Elevation" and "Without Roots". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com