On their first three albums, Unknown Mortal Orchestra had a way of jumping between funk, soul, psych and rock effortlessly, where warm melodies mingled with slick, lo-fi production in inventive ways. While the band touches on many of the ideas that made them so enjoyable in the past, on their fourth record, “Sex & Food,” their train of thought often feels unfinished, missing the usual balance of swagger and sensitivity. The result of this lack of development is a mixed bag of hits and very near misses.
UMO fans may find “Sex & Food” difficult to enjoy at first listen. Although the track list has some fantastic moments of soft and sensual psychedelia, the majority of the album can feel monotonous. The production on the album is once again done by Ruban Nielson — the band’s exquisite frontman — but this time around his production seems to be more numbing than beneficial. UMO’s first two lo-fi albums elevated their talented instrumentation, and here the heavier production often becomes dull. The best moments are absolutely gorgeous, like the well-tuned guitars on “Ministry of Alienation,” but the weakest moments are similar in style to the strongest tracks and so the hits carry less weight.
There's much to love on “Sex & Food” but also much to be missed. With its supple saxophone, groovy bass line and incredibly catchy backbeat, “Hunnybee” is an absolute delight. The keyboard-heavy "Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays" follows the danceable disco funk of 2015’s “Multi-Love.” On lead single “American Guilt” the band pushed their sound towards something new, but the rest of the album is more an unsuccessful exploration down old avenues. When UMO try to reflect, they sound confused and unsure of themselves. The record mostly keeps to the psychedelic sounds of “II” and the more synth-based, dance-inspired sounds of “Multi-Love.” It ends up sounding slightly like bonus material from these two albums stuck together. It’s not bad material by any means, it just doesn’t have the same excitement and spark that fans have come to expect.
Much of “Sex & Food” is voiced through Nielson's guitar playing. “Multi-Love” featured heavy electronics and synthesisers, but wielding a guitar is Nielsen’s specialty. He is a modern guitar master, and his playing always manages to sound distinctive. On “Sex & Food,” Nielson is in full control of his sound, making his guitar carve whatever picture he wants. “Hunnybee” is the record’s strongest effort, evoking the powerful jazz-rock the band has been known for since the start. The instrumentation is without question the strongest part of the album.
Though “Sex & Food” is a disjointed effort with Nielson's ingenuity wavering at times, fans will undoubtedly find favourites in certain tracks. It's an anxious, up-and-down affair, with moments of reward sprinkled within its lethargic haze. The classic UMO instrumentation, finely-tuned and jazzy is aided by Nielson’s bizarre vocals, but the album nevertheless fails to supply the same sensation of previous records. It’s a little too fuzzy of a listen, and as a result it feels like an underwhelming follow-up to their previous discography.
Read More
Honor Committee plans Dorm Talks and finals week initiatives
By Lexie Stadler | 3 hours agoIn an effort to enhance student outreach and introduce incoming students to the Honor System, the Committee will reintroduce Dorm Talks in the Fall 2024 semester.
University Department of Drama hypnotizes with theatrical Spring Dance Concert
By Kenneth Do | 10 hours agoFrom its compelling choreographic dialogue to the thematic costume selection, each dance in the concert maintained an individual artistic voice.
Virginia baseball drops two of three in home series with Georgia Tech
By Ryan Weiner | 11 hours agoThe Cavaliers dropped a crucial series, and will need to rebound quickly heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
