Ruban Nielson’s music project Unknown Mortal Orchestra has seen its share of sonic evolution. From the scuzzy, psychedelic funk freakouts of their debut to the shinier production moments of albums like Multi-Love and Sex and Food to the almost mainstream sound of 2023s V, Nielson has proven a musician that embraces change and looking forward. His much underappreciated guitar skills and knack for pop hooks overshadowed only by his willingness to get a little weird when the mood strikes.
With UMO’s latest release, the CURSE EP, Nielson has set the Wayback Machine to 1973 and has delivered a noisy, riff-heavy rocker that has more in common with Black Sabbath and doomy prog than has his more recent psych/funk/soul excursions. It’s an album that is immediate and grabs your attention the moment you hit play. If this is the beginning of a new era, I’m here for it.
Ruban Nielson has pulled inspiration for CURSE from the rather cursed times we see ourselves in, as well as from Italian horror films of the 1970s and 1980s. Between authoritarianism creeping into our daily lives, as well as maybe that nuclear apocalypse we’ve seen in way too many movies over the last 40 years CURSE has a very eerie, creepy feel to it. Opener “AURA” indeed sounds like an opening motif to some Lucio Fulci film, Nielson’s voice hissing from under the stringed instruments and woozy electronics. “BOYS WITH THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES” jumps out of the speakers with big fuzz-drenched riffs, in-between Nielson’s trademark finger picking. “DEATH COMES FROM THE SKY” has more of a laid back groove to it. It brings to mind something off of UMO’s excellent sophomore LP II. The folksy vibe mixes well with that “cursed” vibe.
Elsewhere “ONE HUNDRED BATS” goes full on 70s doom, with a riff Tony Iommi would have been proud to write. There’s also a touch of early Neil Young, ala “Cinnamon Girl” with some of St. Vitus in there for good measure. “SORCERERS OF SILENCE” comes in with an almost renaissance fair sound with intricate guitar parts and melancholy undertones.
CURSE is a welcome change from the more accessible records of late from Unknown Mortal Orchestra. It sees Ruban Nielson meeting the current trying times head on, fighting frustration and fear with guitar riffs and lo-fi production.
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