Album Reviews: Uniform Motion – One Frame Per Second
Uniform Motion have been kept as a secret for too long it seems. Yeah, they have only been around for a couple of years, but an act as innovative and interesting as these guys would make you think their work should have been discovered by now. Andy Richards is the primary creative force behind the band. He plays the guitar, sings, and writes the tunes. He is accompanied by drummer Olivier Piotte. Although it does not serve the musical aspect of the group, the other member’s role is pretty neat. Renaud Forestié fills in as the “artist” during live shows. Apart from designing for the band in general, his artwork is created and projected in tandem with Andy’s songs in concert. It’s very much akin to Mike Watt‘s “Ear Wax” shows performed with Raymond Pettibon. That is the last I will mention of Forestié though. The matter at hand of course is their sound.
Listen to “One Frame Per Second”
The Pros:
Here, you have a soothing and relaxing album. Think Belle and Sebastian, if they always played acoustically. Andy sports what sounds to be a classical guitar for the entire ride. Piotte’s easygoing drums make for a combination that is nothing but cozy. This doesn’t come off as the annoying sense of cozy, either. Belle and Sebastian do catch a lot of flack for being the “cutesy” sort of band. The only hardcore thing about them is their use of monochromatic album covers. Anyways, the point here is that Uniform Motion does not overdo it on the soft style represented in their songs. Tranquil is the nature, but not every tune is for the bright and happy listener.
“Our Hearts Have Been Misplaced In A Secret Location” and “I Will Put My Life On Tape” for example are both rather dismal subjects in comparison to the musical counterpart. Not that it’s all on the gloomy side, though. One Frame Per Second is for the most part a joyous affair. “There Is No Way There Is No Way” hails as one of the feel-good hits from this collection, as is “Fools, Don’t Listen To A Word I Say.” Richards sure knows how to strike a warm feeling with his tunes.
The Cons:
You can’t pigeonhole this album or regard it as strictly “mood music” necessarily, but it does help to be in a calm state when listening. There’s just no middle of the road. It’s essentially the same problem that The Sea and Cake are plagued with; it’s all sound that appears a tad out of place when the listener’s atmosphere is anything less than relaxing. In addition, and probably a more affective downside to this LP; some may find the instrumental simplicity to a few songs a bit repetitive. Richards is no virtuoso on the guitar, and he doesn’t need to be at all, but there is an all-too-common trend going on with his strumming and picking patterns that borders on uninspiring after a few tracks.
The Verdict:
Putting the negative details aside, this is a very fine and well-produced album. It’s a very enriching, hearty listen, and at times it can instill enough confidence in you to take on great challenges with its endearing attitude. For concertgoers, I can also only imagine that Uniform Motion’s live performances are amplified immensely with the addition of on-the-spot artwork. If you need another reason to grab One Frame Per Second, how about the benefit of naming your own price? This of course can go for cheap as free, or you can kindly through some dough in the band’s direction. They definitely deserve it.
