Search - Ukz :: Radiation

Not what I expected

Joel Sosnick | California | 07/17/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I love all the UK stuff and Bruford, Holdsworth (guitar god)

Considering this lineup, Marco Minneman is a monster. I expected alot more. This is basically mellow King Crimson. I was hoping for more of a UK sound. Well we can always hope for a reunion of the original UK, You never know. Stranger things have happened, Genesis got back together after Phil Collins said never and he found his prog balls and left the lightweight pop for a brief time. I dig Jobson, hopefully a better result next time. It kills me to write something negative about a group of awesome musicians that I have nothing but repect for!"

Great but misleading....this is not UK

Music fan | California United States | 05/11/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm sure many people were excited to hear that Eddie Jobson would be back in a band environment and with a name like UKZ, expectations were high. I had heard the song Radiation via the video on YouTube and did like it a lot. But, it is hardly UK-ish. I don't have the best hearing and I am certainly no audiophile but is there even violin here (yes, I see it performed in the video)? There are not even that many keyboards in my opinion - at least in that familiar sound. While the song is great and the performances of the rest of the band are top-notch, this is more like modern King Crimson than anything else in so many ways. Is this more Trey Gunn than Eddie Jobson? I think so.



If you give this a listen for what it is, it is definintely 4 stars. If you are expecting UK, drop it down considerably. I never thought Eddie was the type of person to cash in on something ..... and that is the UK legacy. I can understand a band wanting to update its sound and in that regard, is succeeds.



I think what bothers me most is the video clips of UKZ performing in New York. They are performing classic UK songs and they are awesome! Violin and all. Obviously, this is what people want so if you are going to use the name UKZ, give the fans what they want - UK-ish material. If you are going to start a new band, perfect....it is a winner. Just don't call it UK.... I mean UKZ.



Bottom line, this is a great EP."

Uniqueness - energy - potential - construction - directions

jdrmusiclover | Switzerland | 05/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hello I feel necessary to write this review because I find the other ones a little bit reductive.



UKZ band is something new.



It might make you think of King Crimson, but it has it's own identity. If you want to name influences, there are surely many more.



These talented musicians have their own uniqueness, thus, when put together, it isn't strange that there is something unique to this group.



It's not the sounds, it's not the words, it lies in the music, the energy, the potential, the constructions, the directions, the freedom, the speed.

I'm not a fan of speed for it's own sake, but in some of these songs it makes you achieve a sentiment of concentrating in feeling intensely good. (I'm listening to the song "radiation" at this moment).

Alas it's only here and there, not all along the songs. There is something noisy and almost insane, from time to time, that bothers me. (perhaps because of the lyrics' subjects?) (perhaps because of the insane way we live together on this earth?) Then it grows and the different instruments build and evolve and come to something that is ONE.



The songs are different in kind one from another. I see this as the openess and adaptability of these musicians and the music they will bring us.



Having a 1:38 song with apparently just one quiet guitar (beautiful) makes me think that everybody has the ability to express himself in this group.



I really wish UKZ will have the success it deserves, allowing it to continue their exploration of new territories in everything.



I put only 4 stars because ... I don't know why... I should perhaps put five... so let's put five."