Ukemi
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Ukemi

Austin, Texas, United States | SELF

Austin, Texas, United States | SELF
Band Alternative Rock

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Momo's - Austin, TX - 10/27/08"

My first impressions of Ukemi were that they were tight, had an odd cross Latin/Asian feel, and still sounded like a pop band. All good things, as weird as it sounds. The opening song of their set was the highlight for me, but that's not to say they were disappointing. It's just the first song had all the elements in the perfect proportions, and it got a little psychadelic too.

Ukemi mentions Jeff Buckley as an influence on their Myspace page. And I could hear it. They obviously paid attention to the orchestration of sound on Grace. If you want another interesting comparison that jumped into my head, here it is. And if you don't want it, I guess you don't have a choice. I'm writing this shit. Anyway, what if The Mars Volta chose to make an acoustic record. And kept all their songs under 6 minutes. I think they'd be stealing from Ukemi. - Associated Content


"Big Western Flavor"

"Ukemi don't need any pointers from me. This is a finished band with a distinctive sound and sweet songs. They struck me at first as a kind of Asian-American Frames. Julie Wang's violin playing reconnects the group's alternative rock sound to Far Eastern melodies in the same way Colm Mac Con Iomaire's fiddle tethers Glen Hansard's songs back to their Emerald Isle roots. John Jung's unrestrained vocal approach is another thing the two bands have in common. Just updating the Frames would be almost enough to win my approval -- the fact that Hansard's Swell Season side project is more successful than his long-running rock band in the States is continuous annoyance to me -- but Ukemi also have elements of ska and Latin rhythms at times that further serve to make them distinct. Online you don't really get the full effect of Scott Yates' upright bass, so make a note to go see them December 5th at Lambert's. That's a CD release show for a record I hope I'll get to review soon." - Big Western Flavor


"Every Hour [EP] Review"

Towards the bottom of the detailed mix for the waltz "Lover's Pride," a female computer voice complains, "I'm not likely to be impressed by the same thing over and over again." It sounds familiar, like the parser from one of those point-and-click adventure games popular on the PC in the early 90's. It could be a comment on the topic of the song, but it could also serve as a summary of Ukemi's approach on each of these six tracks.

The quintet uses folk-rock instrumentation -- acoustic guitar, upright bass, violin, piano, and drums -- but they pack a wallop. Their potency isn't due to dramatic volume shifts or flamboyant parts from any of the players, but rather the lovely arrangements. Each splash cymbal hit to be heard here is chosen with purpose. Ukemi's signature is an ability to collectively pirouette from nervous, twitchy rhythms in the verses of their songs to a more soothing standard rock ballad beat when the choruses arrive. "Halfway" is the best example. The release that the anthemic chorus brings is built up by the unsettled feel of the main verse riff, led by a darting bassline. When the bass and drums stop playing against the beat and settle in for the chorus, John Jung's narrator seems to have found soaring peace, if but for a moment.

The use of tension and release in this music -- and the way that the more subtle elements of the production, like the many overlaying harmonies in the chorus sections and the additional percussion employed during many of the more polyrhythmic bits -- makes Every Hour perhaps the preeminent headphones listen among local releases I've sampled this year. Even in the big melodic passages there's a duality in the calm, cool notes of Julie Wang's violin and Jung's fragile, wavering vocals. There's also a larger structure at work in the track order. The way the unresolving "Every Hour" bridges directly into the beat-happy "Ferris Wheel" seems particularly suite-like.

With its lean rhythm sound, detailed mix, and frank, sometimes unsettling lyrics, Every Hour stands out even among Austin's cluttered field for its originality and vitality. One of the best of 2009, and not a moment too soon. - Way of the Beat


"Ukemi"

"Theatre for the ears.
An honest, powerful and entertaining record."
Richard Dodd, Grammy Award-winning Producer - Richard Dodd


Discography

Every Hour EP (2009)

November EP (2005)

Photos

Bio

Ukemi performs theatrical, tight-knit organic music steeped in alternative, classical, singer-songwriter, and world music roots. Having been compared to bands such as Devotchka, Damien Rice, The Swell Season and Calexico, Ukemi has found an eclectic niche in Austin's house concert circuit as well as coffeehouses and clubs, oftentimes accompanied by live visual artists.

Selected Press:
"Theatre for the ears. An honest, powerful and entertaining record." - Richard Dodd, Grammy Award-Winning Producer (Tom Petty, The Wallflowers)

“The quintet uses folk-rock instrumentation – [nylon] guitar, upright bass, violin, piano, and drums - but they pack a wallop. Their potency isn't due to dramatic volume shifts or flamboyant parts from any of the players, but rather the lovely arrangements.” – Big Western Flavor

“Towards the bottom of the detailed mix for the waltz Lover's Pride, a female computer voice complains, ‘I'm not likely to be impressed by the same thing over and over again.’ [It] could be a comment on the topic of the song, but it could also serve as a summary of Ukemi's approach on each of these six tracks...[with] its lean rhythm sound, detailed mix, and frank, sometimes unsettling lyrics, 'Every Hour' stands out even among Austin's cluttered field for its originality and vitality. One of the best of 2009, and not a moment too soon." - Way of the Beat

“Ukemi mentions Jeff Buckley as an influence on their [website]. And I could hear it. They obviously paid attention to the orchestration of sound on Grace. If you want another interesting comparison that jumped into my head, here it is…[what] if The Mars Volta chose to make an acoustic record? And kept all their songs under 6 minutes? I think they'd be stealing from Ukemi.” – Associated Content