Waiting and Contemplating with UV-TV
There have been many variations on Pandemic Music, not a genre by any means, but an era - some of which we’ve written about. Suddenly day jobs are taking a back seat and artists have whole weeks of time opened up to creativity. Here’s one from US band UV-TV, their latest album is called ‘Always Something’.
UV-TV. From left to right - Ian Bernacett, Rose Vastola and Ian Rose.
UV-TV are made up of vocalist and guitarist/bassist Rose Vastola, guitarist Ian Bernacett and recently appointed drummer Ian Rose. The core duo released their debut album ‘Glass’ in 2017 and follow-up ‘Happy’ in 2019. Making the move from Florida and travelling a thousand miles north to settle in New York, this is where the trio made their third album, during lockdown in 2020.
‘Overcast Forever’ wastes no time and after few strokes on the guitar, launches into full band mode. Drums from Ian Rose are strong both in sound and performance and carry the weight of the rhythm section well. The guitars are in layers of jangle, a tone that isn’t overpowering, but the clean sound makes it distinct instead of disappearing in a haze of distortion. Rose’s vocal is perfectly suited to this combination, and the lyric directly addresses someone: ‘You went away, so long ago, and like the rain, you come and go.’ Finishing on a short instrumental section, it’s amazing that so much could be packed into a song just shy of two minutes.
Beginning less forcefully than the album’s opener, the introduction to ‘Wildflower’ focuses on tom work from Ian Rose while a guitar part multiplies. Adding these layers piecemeal makes you appreciate how each part builds the song up - Ian Bernacett puts so much energy into the guitar tracks in this song. Bass guitar is a thumping rhythm and Rose’s vocal reaches further in her range, specifically in the chorus.
A drum fill brings in the first single for ‘Always Something’, ‘Distant Lullaby’ has all the makings of launching the band into a new era. It has almost a 1960’s quality with the ‘ba-ba-ba’ section, and Ian Bernacett adding backing vocals is a great production decision. The band’s lyrics are a curiosity to me, which I’d love to read in full, lines like: ‘Today goes on and on but did you ever think you’d lose it all?’ in isolation only heighten my level of interest.
It’s refreshing to hear ‘Back To Nowhere’ beginning with isolated guitar, allowing further appreciation of the sound UV-TV have created for themselves on this self-produced record. In another break from the more direct preceding tracks, Back To Nowhere has a slightly longer introduction, building on exploratory tom work from Ian Rose, keeping the feel of his playing interesting. ‘Inside, I’ll be waiting, contemplating’, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this lyric was inspired directly by the pandemic, in the times when every day bled into the next and nothing seemed to change. Back To Nowhere is an excellent choice for a second single.
‘Plume’ is something different entirely. The reverb-laden bass drum is paired well with more upfront bass guitar. Atmospheric sounds are created using guitar feedback, and for the first time the listener can hear acoustic guitars on this record. Rose Vastola’s vocal is the centrepiece to Plume, showing a more vulnerable side: ‘I can’t take it all on my own’. ‘We’re face to face and side to side, despite it all’ brings in some of the heaviest sounds on this album, with massive and noisy guitar distortion from Ian Bernacett, and Ian Rose attacking the kit in a flurry of fills. Briefly, the band returns to Plume’s introductory sounds in the aftermath of the finale, I sense this song will be a force to be reckoned with on stage.
The album’s title track is also the third single. In mid-paced driving guitars and drums, it’s great to hear UV-TV expand their sound with some audible percussion shaking in the right channel, later joined by tambourine down the middle. If you listen closely, there are some backing vocals opposite this in addition to the more obvious harmonies from Rose. This song is a great example of how the band experimented in the studio, with hints of keyboard and noisier guitar work from Ian Bernacett. His additional backing vocal here reminds me of Sunflower Bean’s earlier music.
‘I Don’t Mind’ picks up the pace, and in the spirit of the previous track’s experimentation, there is a guitar element recorded here that opens the sound up of an otherwise trio-focused song. It’s difficult to make out if it’s an acoustic guitar, or an electric specifically treated, but it really works in combination with the more straight-forward rhythm playing. I’d love to hear the guitars in isolation for ‘I Don’t Mind’, if only to further marvel at the band’s production decisions.
Similarly, the introduction to ‘Superabound’ is full of interesting guitar intricacies. In a matter of twenty seconds we get Bernacett’s lead which already sounds like two guitars, suspenseful pounding from Ian Rose, low end in guitar, and bass from Vastola, then harmony lines on electric guitar, finishing with a brief strumming of chords, all before Rose Vastola’s first verse. ‘…Visions come around, your time is running out’, Rose’s vocal is clear and soaring above the production UV-TV have created in Superabound – this song should be a single.
Always Something finishes off with ‘Holland Sunday’. The more considered pace here is exemplified by the humming fizz of synthesizer and more focus on bass guitar. Electric guitars are strummed either side of the listener while those earlier components run down the middle. Rose Vastola sings her sweetest vocal of the entire record, higher in her range and fitting for Holland Sunday, a perfect partner to her own prominent bass playing. Lighter keyboard chords float above the core band towards the song’s end. I couldn’t think of a better way for UV-TV to round off the songs on Always Something.
UV-TV. From left to right - Ian Bernacett, Ian Rose and Rose Vastola.
1. Your new album 'Always Something' was recorded during the first months of the pandemic. Were you able to record in the same space or was it a socially distanced affair?
Ian Bernacett: We recorded at our friend Sasha Stroud's studio Artifact Audio. It was recorded all together in the live room.
2. This record was self-produced - do you spend days agonizing over details, or is putting together a UV-TV album a fairly quick process?
Ian B: It isn't a quick process but basically, everything gets demo-ed and brought to the band. If things end up working with the band we'll maybe rearrange a couple of parts.
3. How does a UV-TV song begin life? Does someone bring a fully formed track, or is there more collaborative spontaneity involved?
Ian B: It depends on the track. I'll usually do a demo in either Logic or on my Tascam 246. I know something can work if Rose can find a melody or vocal part easily. I'll usually get a feel if the songs are worth building up if the pre-production isn't like pulling teeth. We're pretty democratic in terms of songwriting. If someone has a suggestion that suits the arrangement; we'll follow that path. This last record has a demo version of the entire album. We'll probably be putting that out at some point.
4. 'Plume' is a particularly explosive track on this record, where did the inspiration for that one come from?
Ian B: Rose wrote that song on acoustic guitar. It was just that E major to A major 7th chord at first. I thought it needed something else. I've always liked how doo-wop and 50's pop stuff always throw in B minor chords so I lifted that and added a key change before the wall of sound part ‘cause why not?
Rose Vastola: Originally, when I wrote the song the words ''I can't take it all on my own'' came to me in the vocal melody. It wasn't until months later that I would find the real meaning of the song was inspired by the protests and activism that occurred in the summer of 2020 in response to police brutality.
5. All the elements of this record fit together perfectly - what equipment are you playing on these tracks?
Ian B: The album overall is pretty stripped down track-wise. I tracked electric guitars with mainly two Fender Jazzmasters that have very subtle differences (one likes delay, reverb, and chorus and the other likes distortion and fuzz boxes.) I also used one of those reissue Fender XII 12 strings all over the record. The amps I used were a Musicman HD 130 210, Vox AC30, and a Marshall JCM 800. I also used an ancient Martin 0-17 for acoustic overdubs like ''Plume'' and ''I Don't Mind''
I have too many pedals to mention them all but the highlights are an old Proco Rat, V4 Big Muff, Boss DM3, and the underrated Ibanez CS-505 chorus.
A Casio CZ-101 was used for the synth parts.
Rose played a CIJ Fender Mustang bass through a Sunn concert bass head and an older Ampeg cab.
Drums were whatever Sasha had set up at the studio.
6. Ian Rose, growing up, who were the drummers that inspired you to get behind the kit?
Ian Rose: Phil Collins and Robert Gotobed. Opposites perhaps but true experts of maximalism and minimalism respectively.
7. The start of the pandemic derailed some plans to perform live, what have you missed most about being on stage?
Ian B: I miss the sense of community playing shows gives. Playing live music makes working dreary day jobs and the hustle of NYC worthwhile.
8. Ian B. - what's your favourite gig UV-TV has played so far?
Ian B: I don't have a favorite gig but the most memorable gig was after a long drive from Texas to Pensacola in which no one showed up.
9. With the band relocating to New York, what do each of you love about the city?
Ian B: New York's Craigslist is pretty good.
Rose: I love being around other creative people from different backgrounds and mediums, and that's one of the best things this city has to offer.
10. Is there anything you miss about Florida?
Ian B: I miss having space. The pace of Florida is nice sometimes, everything is slower and a bit sleepier.
11. Rose, if you could duet with anyone on a track, who would it be and why?
Rose: Nancy Sinatra or Kate Pierson. I grew up listening to both of their voices as a kid.
12. Looking to the future, if UV-TV could tour this record outside of the US, what countries would each of you like to visit?
Ian B: We're going to Europe next year in the Spring of 2022 to tour this record which we're excited about. I would also love to tour Japan and Australia would be cool too.
Rose: South America.
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Purchase the music of UV-TV on their Bandcamp page via digital download, plus there are t-shirts and vinyl!
For more information about UV-TV, visit their official website.
Follow UV-TV on Instagram @uv__tv, Twitter @UVTVmusic and on Facebook @UV-TV.
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