Left of the Dial |
Glen the Owl (featuring Uniit): Glen the Owlby Matt Barber |
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It’s a shame more people don’t recognize Billy Cote’s name. While several less talented characters from the alternative rock morass of the ’90s are remembered, even revered, Cote and his band, Madder Rose, remain obscure footnotes even to most ardent music fans. It’s sad because Cote is one of the best writers to emerge from the last decade, and is a versatile guitarist. In Madder Rose, his partner Mary Lorson gave his musical vision a voice. In his latest project, Glen The Owl, the female voice at the forefront belongs to Uniit Carruyo. Uniit’s vocals are strong and assured, smooth and fluid. Her voice is as perfectly suited to sparse, folksy songs like “Sun (Setting)” and “Blur” as it is to potential dance-floor favorites like “And Then You Lied” and “One Push.” That’s because Uniit makes tasteful choices; she knows when to pour it on and when to lay back. Cote often opted for a “wall of sound” approach with Madder Rose, but on Glen The Owl the tracks are frequently stripped down with simple yet effective elements carefully placed for ambient impact. “Behave,” “Blur,” and “Sun (Setting)” start with sparse acoustic guitar picking and layers of Uniit’s dreamy vocals. Those elements remain the centerpiece of the recording even as other basic sounds are introduced. “I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight” continues in the trip-hop direction of later Madder Rose, and “One Push” and “The Easy Way Home” incorporate beats and electronic elements borrowed from the DJ culture Cote explored with his side project The Jazz Canon. Cote has given the world another rich, varied, and beautiful album. Hopefully it won’t be overlooked.
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Issue Navigation> Issue Index > v4n44: Permanence and Change (11/2/05) > Left of the Dial > Glen the Owl (featuring Uniit): Glen the Owl This Week's Issue • Artvoice Daily • Artvoice TV • Events Calendar • Classifieds |
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