Andrew DuncanUltraphonix
Original Human Music
earMUSIC
★★★★
I first saw Corey Glover on the Rolling Stones’ Steel Wheels Tour. Living Colour was the opener. It was my first and last concert at Indianapolis’ Market Square Arena. A decade later, they demolished the mammoth concert venue. So I have fond memories of this concert and that time period. And, full disclosure, I was equally excited to see Living Colour as I was the Stones. They had just released Vivid, and I was instantly attracted to their pro-action spirit and musical vibrancy. On stage, they did not disappoint. That was almost 30 years ago.
Corey Glover never did stop and now he fronts the supergroup Ultraphonix. Teaming up with Dokken’s George Lynch, bassist Pancho Tomaselli (War, Philm), and drummer Chris Moore (Project NfidelikAh), Ultraphonix takes the group’s natural talent and exemplifies it into an heightened state of awareness in rock. The word “fronts” is not the right terminology for Glover as each member impresses with equal importance (as you can see on the video “Walk Run Crawl”). Do not downgrade Glover’s vocal power.
Ultraphonix – “Walk Run Crawl” Video
Ultraphonix is a reaction. The songs stem from the outside looking inward and how the band interprets our current social climate. “All my life I’ve been waiting for the revolution,” he sings on “Free.”
Throughout his career, Glover has teamed up with amazing guitarists (notably Vernon Reid) and to work with Lynch gives the collaboration a deep-rooted meaning. Unlike the Lynch Mob, Ultraphonix pushes Lynch’s guitar work into a new dimension of marvel, culminating his love for blues into a hard rock prowess. “Another Day” contains the best work since ‘80s-era Dokken as “Counter Culture” stains the song in blues chords. Tomaselli’s bass work is blue-collar note muscle. One thing you cannot ignore is the strong bass-drum collaboration that add so much weight to this album.
Ultraphonix – “Another Day” Music Video
I love the subtle complexities in “Heart Full of Rain,” a sentimentality that does not sacrifice strength amidst fragility. It is the perfect tie in to the album’s title. This is an album that dips back to the band’s foundational elements of jazz, rock, funk and blues. “Soul Control” pushes the band into a dimension that is not expected but very satisfying. Add the human component and you feel more connected. Pouring emotion into every note does not hurt either.
Ultraphonix exists to do exactly what they want and explore avenues of music they normally would not be tied to. The results are a fine culmination of talent.