c o n r a d

Uoma is the third album from instrumental-chamber-jazz-prog band Uzva, and starts off very much in the same vein as their previous album, Niittoaika. It then takes a number of deviations, some obvious and safe, and others not so. All this, of course, is done with a dizzying number of musicians, often all playing at the same time. "Kuoriotuminen," which opens the album, could easily have appeared on their previous release, and not just because its three part format conforms to the same structure as the songs on that album. About the only thing that sets it appart for me is that the crecendo section sounds a lot more structured. There are a couple of tracks with world music influences as well, which, aside from being performed with Uzva's own deft touch, are unremarkable. The piece that really surprised me was "Vesikko." The very fact that this track opens with a driving guitar riff signals that this is not necessarily going to be a typical Uzva track. This is confirmed by the third part, which reminds of, believe it or not, Led Zeppelin's "Achilles' Last Stand," only with less guitar distortion and more marimba. Despite being based around a single repeating riff, part 3 of "Vesikko" manages to keep me interested for its almost thirteen minutes through a combination of good arrangement, composition and performance. Overall, Uoma's sound is not so far removed from Nittoaika, but it is still fresh, and gives the impression that the band is continually developing new ideas and waiting to see where it takes them. The heavier sections seem to work better here, but on the whole it is the softer, atmospheric moments that Uzva still does best. This album is a very safe purchase for those who already like the band, and it has been in high rotation on my CD player for a couple of months now. review by Conrad Leviston — 11-27-06 —