You know you are in for possibly the tallest roller coaster ride of your life, even at the onset of this newest (and 7th) release of the utterly fantastic Prague progressive avant/RIO/out jazz band. Aquatic water drips immediately place the listener inside the cave, then BOOOOOOM!!! as so many styles are pulled in and nailed for the carnival trip of music for your very eargasms. You will be silly with glee by the end of the disc! It's a true gem in the ruffles of all ridges! I stake my 52 years of musical love/lust on it! Kick back in your extra soft recliner chair and let the magic happen once again! *s*
The band definitely have a more relaxed feel now that they scored an American independent
label like Cuneiform ( check out Waysidemusic.com). That's not in any way to say they pulled away from their creative open art of music composition. Not a chance!
This is just beautifully crafted music throughout! You'll get a dose of varied progressive music from a huge library such as Spanish stylings (including mariachi), mixed RIO jazz, folk, opera, punk, rock, classical and much more with this relatively short recording of well packed 11 songs. Like all their music, this gives you the surprise package you'll totally love.
It's hard not to gush with accolades after even one listen to this masterpiece of supreme progressive music. It's progressive in the sense that all aficionado of the genre will bow and tip their bowler hats to. I can't wipe the smile off my face knowing that music like this still exists, continues, and even gets better as the years go by. I am entering a time machine view here, as I wonder what the entire RIO scene would have sounded like if Uz Jsme Dome had existed and recorded before them. And in an about face, I know Uz Jsme Dome was influenced by the RIO spread of years like Henry Cow, Picchio Dal Pozzo, Etron Fou Leloublan, Samla Mammas Manna, the metal/goth/prog/fusion bands like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and then the more eastern influenced prog/metal/fusion bands like Secret Chiefs 3. No matter how you slice and dice it, UJD are hellacious!
I own all their previous recordings and a couple of bootleg DVD's live, and you'd just not think
these folks can pull off what they do on all their fantastic recordings. You can never judge one song. For label sake. Just wait 2 more and they will knock your train of thought right out the side window. And it's not just the impeccable instrumentation, but the vocals go from singular to choral in a jiff. This band is not fearful to do anything and everything. They take on whatever the spirit moves them and gives them. What we have here, my friend, is a success to communicate. Yes it is!!!
"Caves" begins with a special wet anointing and ends with one. You will have to buy this to know what I mean by that. Take a bath ( I mean chance) with this... You'll be cleansed in the desert! My highest recommendation!!
Reviewed by Lee Henderson on September 23rd, 2010
