ULTRAVIOLETS: At The Edge Of Garage Spectrum

Too Little Too Late (1992)

 

 Changing Times (1990)

'Εδρασαν ως Ultraviolets και Psychoviolets στις αρχές της προπερασμένης δεκαετίας, όταν η μόδα της γκαραζοψυχεδελικής αναβίωσης είχε, αισθητικώς τουλάχιστον, φθίνει πλέον για τα καλά. Ο Bob Ramskill και η παρέα του, απ' το Κάνσας, στηρίχτηκαν όπως και άλλοι σε μια εκδοχή του ήχου των 60'ς και της 80'ς επαναφοράς του (Rolling Stones και επιγονοι, Wipers, κλπ..), κατόρθωσαν όμως να ξεπεράσουν σε περιεχόμενο, ερμηνευτικό πάθος και ψυχικό δόσιμο τους περισσότερους απ΄τους ομότεχνούς τους αναβιωτές, αποτυπώνοντας ενα αίτημα ευθύτητας και γνησιότητας μέσα σ'ενα περιβάλλον οδύνης, σημαδεμένο απ' την αλήθεια της ζωής και τα ναρκωτικά. Τρία τα συνολικά τους δισκογραφήματα, γεμάτα άγρια, ηλεκτρικά, μελαγχολικά τραγούδια. Άνθη πανέμορφα, τρομερά, από εκείνα που φυτρώνουν στην πέρα πέρα μόνο άκρη του γκαράζ φάσματος.

Exceptionally good garage-psych band from Kansas, US, (started as Ultraviolets, finished as Psychoviolets) verifying once more the simple rock'n'roll truth: no matter the form, to make a great music, it takes a great soul.  

Albums:
The Ultraviolets "Changing Times" (Music Maniac, 1990)
 The box / A place called hell / Screams / A Better day / D-train / Fade to grey / Now i know / Where are you / Do what you want / In our world / Set me free / Changing times / Life in the real world

The Psychoviolets "Too Little Too Late" (Restless, 1992)
Too little too late / 1000 voices / Stoned / End of it all / Addicted to the thought / Feel like giving up / Think twice / I' m down / On the edge / Come on

The Psychoviolets "Teen Trash Vol.2 (Music Maniac, 1993)
Swear to god / So strange / Can't go back / Time / Welcome Death / Flesh meets knife / Endless Days / I gotta move / What is this / As they do / Addicted to the thought / Too little too late / Stoned / D-train / Screams / Do what you want / Now i know / Life in the real world / The box / I'm down

Too Little Too Late
Changing Times

JACK OR JIVE LIGHTS " A Solo Exhibition " (JAP, 1994)

The minimalistic/ethereal sound paintings of  Jack or Jive could have attracted more attention if they  were out sometime in middle to late eighties, on the 4AD's catalog, for example. Nevertheless the duo doesn't adopt the tried atmospheric pop fragility without blending it with the quiet, allusive art of the japanese landscape... 
"A Solo Exhibition" -that finds the band changing its name to Jack Or Jive Lights- flows perhaps a bit more presumably than its predecessors, it uses though the same elixirs: The dream-awaking voice of Chako is far enough to hold itself the "exhibition" still worth visiting.

More Jack Or Jive at LaFolieDuJour: "Prayer" + "Expatriation"

A Solo Exhibition

V.A. F/ear This! (ITA, 1987)

Italian double cassette/double vinyl compilation (plus booklet) released in 1987 for benefit of  A/Rivista Anarchica monthly magazine. Subtitled as "a collection of unheard music, unwritten words and unseen images inspired by fear", it includes contributions from italian (Two Tone, Detonazione, La 1919, Gregorio Bardini, Franti, 2+2=5, Thelema, Giancarlo Toniutti...) and international artists (Embryo, Annie Anxiety, Don King, Possession, Body & the Buildings, etc.).

A + B sides
C + D sides