5uu's - 2002 - Abandonship

5uu's
2002
Abandonship

01. Yordei Hasira #2 (2:12)
02. Couple #3 is a Solo (4:14)
03. Thoroughly Modern Attila (9:27)
04. Penguins on Dizengoff (5:49)
05. Suits (2:45)
06. Ringing in the New Ear (0:40)
07. Noah's Flame (8:58)
08. Hill of Spring (3:36)
09. Doubt Be Met (1:39)
10. Belly-Up (9:07)



- Dave Kerman / composition, lyrics, instruments
- Udi Koomran / sound
- Deborah Perry / vocals

WITH:
- Avi Belleli / vocals
- Michal Ezrony / vocals, reciting
- Aviv Barak / hand percussion
- Yoram Fogel / wind-up toy monkey
- Zahi Patish / tap-dancing
Releases information

Cuneiform (rune 158)



This was recorded in Tel Aviv,Isreal at Udi's house.That's right Udi Koomran works his magic on here much like he did on the amazing AHVAK album and many others over the years.Interesting that with this album and the AHVAK record Udi is listed as part of the band even though he doesn't play an instrument on either one.Well if you knew how important this guy was to the sound on both recordings you would understand why.He's amazing! His work can be heard throughout this album in the samples and sounds.Like the last album this is really a Dave Kerman solo album under the 5UU'S moniker.Deborah Perry(THINKING PLAGUE) is back on vocals along with some other guests including PRESENT's own Roger Trigaux who plays the part of a dictator on the third track.He seems to be a natural(haha). "Yordei Hasira #2" opens with strange sounds and throughout really.Voices come and go. "Couple #3" has Deborah on vocals with all kinds of intricate sounds coming and going.Angular guitar before 2 minutes then it settles with spoken vocals.Drums and guitar end it.Nice. "Thoroughly Modern Attila" is probably my all time favourite 5UU'S track.It's very much in the UNIVERS ZERO/PRESENT realm.An ominous beat with other sounds to start.It's dark.Some crazy outbursts of sound follow.This is heavy and dark.Amazing ! Some insane spoken spoken words from Roger before 4 minutes.A calm follows and it sounds very cool.It's building 6 1/2 minutes in,this really reminds me of PRESENT and UNIVERS ZERO.Silence after 7 1/2 minutes then it kicks back in a minute later. "Penguins On Dizengoff" opens with a beat followed by piano.Guitar before 1 1/2 minutes.It turns dark and eerie after 2 minutes.it picks up before 5 minutes but not for long. "Suits" has these deep bass sounds and female vocals.It turns dark after 1 1/2 minutes. Bob Drake's version of "Ringing In The New Year" can be heard on "Crisis In Clay".This one opens with someone talking with sounds playing in the background. "Noah's Flame" sounds great when it kicks in after a minute.Female vocals too.A change 4 minutes in.Spoken vocals 5 1/2 minutes in.A heavy beat and angular guitar after 6 minutes.The tempo picks up 7 1/2 minutes in as Kerman pounds away until it ends. "Hill Of Spring" has this light music with spoken female vocals.Both the music and Deborah's vocals turn demented.Great sound 2 1/2 minutes in after the lunacy ends. "Doubt Be Met" is solemn with female vocals. "Belly- Up" kicks in before a minute.Check out Kerman on the kit.A calm before 2 minutes.It's dark as spoken words arrive.I like the calm after 7 minutes to the end.Deborah ends it with the words "Okay cut" and the music and album stops.I'm still waiting for Deborah to say "action" so we can get a new 5UU'S album.

5uu's - 2000 - Regarding Purgatories

5uu's
2000
Regarding Purgatories
 

01. Meteora (7:31)
02. Pinwheel (5:12)
03. Belew And Beyond (5:14)
04. To Fall On Deaf Ears - part one (4:51)
05. Half-Akin To Gladsome (1:44)
06. Drachma (4:28)
07. First Person Jocular (4:36)
08. String Of Hey-Days (2:40)
09. Day 29 (2:18)
10. Gordian Knot (4:44)
11. Stand On Ceremony (1:43)
12. To Fall On Deaf Ears - part two (10:35)


- Dave Kerman / guitars, keyboards, drums, percussion, occasional bass & vocals, tapes, noises etc.

WITH:
- Deborah Perry / vocals
- Keith Macksoud / bass
- Mark McCoin / exotic percussion, unconventional soloing
- Sajay Kumar / additional keyboards
- Charles Turner / piano solos
Releases information

Cuneiform (rune 135)

There's a reason this is called Dave Kerman & 5UU'S now instead of just 5UU'S.Bob Drake the vocalist/bass player/producer has left leaving Dave to take the reins once again.Kerman is a multi-instrumentalist,and he pretty much does it all here including composing all the music and lyrics.He does have some guests helping out though including Deborah Perry(THINKING PLAGUE) on vocals,Keith Macksoud(PRESENT) on bass,Sanjay Kumar(5 UU's, U-TOTEM) on keyboards and there are others helping out as well.For me this is an upgrade over the previous two albums.Just my taste in music i suppose, but i really like this album. "Meteora" opens with atmosphere and strange sounds early on.It kicks in before 2 1/2 minutes with drums and experimental guitar(i think). Voices fade in and out before 4 1/2 minutes.Angular guitar 5 1/2 minutes in.A bell and strange sounds including voices end it. "Pinwheel" opens with drums and other sounds as piano joins in.Guitar after 1 1/2 minutes.Great sound ! It settles with female vocals and piano before 2 1/2 minutes.It then kicks back in a minute later.A haunting calm before 5 minutes to end it. "Below And Beyond" picks up before a minute.It's kind of creepy here.Female vocals before 1 1/2 minutes with dark piano lines.It's building briefly 3 1/2 minutes in. "To Fall On Deaf Ears (Part One)" hits the ground running.It stops as a buzzer goes off.This sequence happens again then these distorted vocals arrive.It's intense 2 minutes in and check out the drumming! It settles back 3 1/2 minutes in then the vocals return. "Half-Akin To Gladsome" is a short piano and female vocal piece. "Drachma" is more powerful with vocals.High pitched sounds around 1 1/2 minutes.it's haunting after 3 minutes including the vocal melodies. "First Person Jocular" is dissonant then it settles as the vocals arrive.They stop as pulsating sounds take over.Guitar 2 minutes in then these whispered vocals also take part.It's experimental late. "String Of Hey- Days" has these mono-toned vocals until it changes after a minute.Vocals come and go. "Day 29" has a heavy beat with an eerie background as vocals and piano come and go. "Gordion Knot" sounds great when it kicks in before a minute.Vocals join in. "Stand On Ceremony" has these avant vocals,drums and overall sound.That changes before a minute. "To Fall On Deaf Ears (Part Two)" eventually pulses wth percussion and dark vocal expressions.Vocals after 3 1/2 minutes with piano.A calm with piano 7 minutes in then vocals and a fuller sound arrive a minute later.Lots of percussion too. Just an excellent Rio/Avant album and proof that Dave Kerman is from another planet.

5uu's - 1997 - Crisis In Clay

5uu's
1997
Crisis In Clay

 01. Comeuppance (3:48)
02. Broadside Hits and Near Misses (2:21)
03. How-To's of Self Taught (3:40)
04. Bought the Farm (4:19)
05. Simply Agree (1:38)
06. Goliath in the Sights (4:18)
07. December (2:55)
08. Hunter Gatherer (3:30)
09. What Price Virtue? (3:19)
10. Darkened Door (4:54)
11. Encounter (3:26)
12. Willful Suspension of Disbelief (3:41)
13. Cirrus (3:38)
14. Weaponry (1:11)
15. Absolutely, Absolute (3:48)
16. Ringing in the New Ear (0:42)


- Bob Drake / bass, guitar, vocals, violin
- David Kerman / drums
- Sanjay Kumar / keyboards

WITH:
- Tom Dimuzio / electronics
- Scott Brazieal / vibes
Releases information

ReR 5UU2


Like others in this genre (namely Miriodor and Ensemble Nimbus for instance) they opt for the shorter, song oriented compositions. They are, however, entirely different from those aforementioned bands. The music style resembles that of Henry Cow before them and that of Thinking Plague after them (In Extremis). I agree with fellow reviewers about Yes (Relayer), being an influence here, it serves as a good point of reference (go over progmonster's and The Mentalist's reviews for more details).

Their sound is to me is filled with a somber and obscure atmosphere. It gives me the impression of being in a cold dark room attacked by this odd intricate musical sounds with weird time signatures that alternate rapidly with a generous amount of dissonance. The sound of the keyboards gives the songs a devilish sound as if possessed and Bob Drake's vocals are flat in that they don't go up and down, but simply sing the lyrics in a rather high note (not unlike Jon Anderson's voice as was noted by other reviewers) but without going too far from this standpoint. Other than being dark, it is intense. Very intense. You are not being given a moment to calm down during the whole album. It keeps coming at you with raw power and energy that at times can be tiring, but overall is what creates this unique experience which is the music of the 5UU's.

For the uninitiated, it may appear at first as a blur, a mess of sounds that have not yet decided where to head and with what scale to align. But this will all come clear in a matter of a few listens. However, this album needs your attention as a listener. This is not background music. This is, as many progressive albums, an album to experience and be attentive to, for if you wonder off, you will miss its very essence and what makes it so good and powerful and it will probably sound like a blur of sounds. It is less than an hour long, so this should be feasible. But due to the nature of the music, it will seem longer than that, and this is not because it is bad, but because of all the traits I have mentioned in the beginning.

In this album (and others by them) you can be sure you will hear well all of the instruments and thus enjoy their performance. All performers here are doing a brilliant job (as can be expected).

Now, while I love this album and enjoy it (as I do with Hunger's Teeth), I can't state that it is a masterpiece, but it does fall under essential listening for me. For a RIO fan, I think it would certainly be essential listening and they would probably enjoy this very much. For others, I suggest to approach with caution, but with open mind and willingness to venture into another form of music, which you may not be accustomed to.

5uu's - 1996 - Point Of Views

5uu's
1996
Point Of Views

01. Theme from Marduk & Tiamat (2:23)
02. The Scale of Life (3:20)
03. Compromisation (3:04)
04. Loyalty to Creation (2:20)
05. Ancient Internationalism (4:03)
06. The Fear of Life(After Death) (3:46)
07. Sporting (3:55)
08. Magic, Dogma and Faith (2:52)
09. Misery Loves Company (2:11)
10. Hot & Cold Frog (3:41)
11. Ignominies (5:12)
12. Imperfections (4:23)
13. Resentments (3:59)
14. Acknowledgements (1:43)
15. Elements (2:35)
16. In Life's Hands (4:55)
17. The Artist (3:36)
18. Causes of Merit (2:42)
19. The Futility of Oneness (6:41)
20. Carousel of Progress (5:26)

Total Time: 73:27
Lyrics

Search 5UU'S Point of Views lyrics
Music tabs (tablatures)

Search 5UU'S Point of Views tabs
Line-up / Musicians

- Jon Beck / bass
- Greg Conway / guitar
- David Kerman / drums, keyboards, piano, guitar
- Curt Wilson / vocals
- Randy Coleman / guitar
- Dan Malouin / bass
- Jim Norman / piano
- Lynn Johnston / woodwinds
- Chuck Turner / keyboards
- Ken Ando / guitar
- Sanjay Kumar / keyboards
- James Grigsby / bass, keyboards, guitar, vibes, snake flute, trumpet
- Emily Hay / flute
- Becky Heninger / cello
- Gene Carl / piano
- Eric Johnson / bassoon
- Chuck Turner / keyboards
Releases information

Cuneiform (rune 85)



Composed from the group's two early albums on the legendary Recommended Record (ReR) label plus bonus tracks (from singles or label samplers), now re-issued on the great and no-less legendary Cuneiform label and could've been called 5UU's 84-87. 5UU's debut album was definitely more accessible than Thinking Plague or Skeleton Crew, and this 2-on- 1 set of albums is a rather interesting deal for those willing to explore Kerman's group's early career.

The Bar Code single (here as track 9 & 10) is much in the line of the musical conduct of the group and could've easily fitted on the Marduk album, even if the luine up recording the single's songs is fairly different than on the album, but also having some musicians (Ando, Turnert, Johnston) as guest on the Elements album. .

But if you're like me and you prefer Elements, you're not likely to be that interested in these two albums presented on the same disc, partly because both albums are very differtent in moods and Marduk pales too much in comparison with Elements that it sounds almost like another group. As for the ReR sampler track, it comes from the following year and has the same basic line-up of Elements (without the Totemist Guild), but even if closely linked with Elements, it sounds sufficiently different (but nothing shocking either) but is not that welcome after such an outstanding album as Elements. I'd say that the general sound and production differences are too big to include them on the same disc.

5uu's - 1994 - Hunger's Teeth

5uu's
1994
Hunger's Teeth

01. Well... Not Chickenshit (6:35)
02. Roan (3:03)
03. Mangate (2:55)
04. Geronimo (4:51)
05. Glue (2:41)
06. Opportunity Bangs (5:18)
07. The Shears (1:25)
08. Bachelor Needle (2:16)
09. Truth, Justice, and the American Way (5:35)
10. Equus (5:06)
11. Traveler Waits for No One (3:27)



- Sanjay Kumar / keyboards
- David Kerman /drums, guitars, keyboards
- Bob Drake / vocals, basses, guitars, violins

WITH:
- Thomas Dimuzio / electronics
- Susanne Lewis / vocals
- James Grigsby / guitar, vibes, bass
- Michelle Bos / utensils, penny fountain, skydiving ocarinas, metal tables, creaks, blue rocks
Releases information

Recommended (RéR 5uu1)


Dave Kerman founded his own band, the 5UU's, in 1984. Inspired by the European "Rock In Opposition" (RIO) movement's uncompromising stance, and devoted to a concept of song-oriented music with emphasis on short pieces, lyrics, and melodies, the 5UU's created a sound that was a distinctly American version of R.I.O.-inspired rock. Their music is a constantly changing stream of ideas, very complex, with irregular time sigs and liberal use of disonnance within their melodic framework. "Hunger's Teeth" is probably the best place to start for a symphonic prog fan trying to get into RIO. This is a group in the tradition of Henry COW, UNIVERS ZERO and U TOTEM. RIO fans will enjoy this music...!

What's this? The soundtrack to Jon Anderson's nightmares? Well, not quite, but there can be no denying that Bob Drake's vocal contributions are uncannily similar to that of Yes' impish frontman. The music, however, couldn't be more polarised. Dark, surreal, uncompromising, complex. 5uu's are avant-prog to the core, with a strong RIO iinfluence

This is tightly arranged, expertly produced and free from needlessly rambly passages (the longest track is a mere 6:35). It's important not to underestimate sense of harmony here either. RIO/avant-prog bands are sometimes accused of eschewing harmony and melody in favour of random discordance - not remotely so in this case. Dissonance is used appropriately and never seems gratuitous. After all, one track is even a tongue-in-cheek barber shop song!