The Uglysuit

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Sample Album
ALBUM INFORMATION

Total Tracks: 9   Total Length: 44:05

eMusic Review

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Wayne Robins

eMusic Contributor

Wayne Robins has been a journalist specializing in music for more than 40 years. Since his first paid assignment, reviewing the Rolling Stones 1969 Oakland show...more »

08.18.08
A gorgeous set of summery psychedelic pop to charm even the most stubbornly jaded soul.
2008 | Label: Quarterstick Records / Touch And Go

Do you believe in magic? I'm not sure I do, either. But listening to the Uglysuit, six friends in their early 20s from Oklahoma City, you might start to believe in flying penguins, soaring seaships, clouds beneath your feet and happy yellow rainbows. The Uglysuit's self-titled album is that pretty, and that powerful. The music draws its inspiration from '60s psychedelia, '70s art rock, ageless fairytales, children's stories and Steven Spielberg's films (the short instrumental "Elliot Travels" is mood music for E.T. 26 years later). "Brownblue's Passing" kicks the set off, a hunk of gorgeousness Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks might have left off Smile. The rapturous harmonies on "Chicago" make that city seem like a shimmering Shangri-la, while "Everyone Now Has A Smile" suggests a satisfying collaboration between Donovan and the Moody Blues, alternating density and lightness with such agility that you can hardly hear the effort that went into it. Implausible as it seems, the potency and skill of that song and "Happy Yellow Rainbow," with their resonating melodies, random-seeming chord changes, daring tempo shifts and monster guitar and piano excursions, will wipe the smirk off your face and have you believing, as the… read more »

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Great Album

Skunkmunkie

"Chicago" is an entirely predictable yet catchy track, and it might be the weakest one on the album. The music here is, as many albums should be, meant to be listened in order. Many of the songs play off each other, and to listen on shuffle would be pointless. One of my favorite albums of 2008.

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Yeah, pretty good

CANTBELIEVEIMPAYINGFORTHISCRAP

Despite the hype, a worthwhile download. This type of wimpish indie rock usually gets real old real fast, but Uglysuit is a cut above. Embarrassed to admit it, but I even like "Chicago".

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Nice

timabouttown

I was really turned off of this one by all the hype, and by the fact that it sounds to me like a whole lot of other folks...but taken on its own terms, I like it a lot. Here's what they say about their influences at MySpace: "Happiness bursting out of a warm Apple Pie; the overwhelming urge to withdraw from reality and make music ALL DAY." That would be disgusting, even horrifying, if these kids didn't so obviously believe it, and have the musical chops to back it up. There. Don't you feel bad about being so mean to them?

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Epic pop without the pretention

ptolemyclark

Despite the adorably misleading OC pop of "Chicago," the rest of this album is unexpectedly lush with sweeping piano rock, layered vocals, and epic song structure. The Uglysuit successfully marries indie-pop (see Snow Patrol) with post-rock (see Explosions in the Sky) with incredibly listenable results. Lovely, for hippies and hipsters alike.

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Zzzzz...

Zotzedwriter

The Dullsuit, more like it. Snoozy, predicable psychadelia throwback.

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Good stuff

DirkTanyan

They've been listening to Explosions in the Sky.

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good show

M1K3

just wandered into their show at dfest in tulsa and was impressed.

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Fantastic!

jdubland

Great music that both surprices and comes with a punch! Some tracks reminds me of Supertramp - but still different though. Give track 7 a try - don't forget to turn the volume knob up to higher levels - this music deserves it!

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lush and moving...

imax

the layered and hazy arrangements make for a great summer record. you will not be sorry you got this album. beautiful.

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Epic

POGB

This album is both earthy and spacey at the same time. Very nice compositions, with some stunning climaxes at the end of songs. They really let it rip on "Happy Yellow Rainbow". If you like climactic songs, you won't be disappointed. As for the similar artists suggested by eMusic, I don't think any of those listed really represent what you will find on this album. I think Appleseed Cast would be a better comparison.

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They Say All Media Guide

There’s certainly nothing ugly about the Uglysuit’s debut album, whose nine songs veer between breezy indie pop, psychedelic folk, shoegaze, and flashes of laid-back math rock. That’s an odd combination, to be sure, but the Uglysuit tackle their shifting time signatures without losing their mellow, a move that adds complexity while preserving the sunny California vibes these Midwesterners evoke so easily. Apart from straightforward pop songs like “Chicago,” many of the album’s tracks progress in movements, with “Everyone Now Has a Smile” (one of two seven-minute epics on the disc) shifting between ethereal piano arpeggios and a bouncing jam band breakdown. When the bandmates decide to really crank up the volume, as they do during the psych rock conclusion to “Happy Yellow Rainbow,” the sound is more cathartic than jarring. It’s difficult to carve one’s own niche in the indie rock world — the genre is already congested with countless niches, most of them quite similar to the next one — but the Uglysuit have stumbled across something truly unique here. Alternately blissed-out and ragingly psychedelic, this debut is one of 2008′s most promising records. – Andrew Leahey

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