SCUO

5678765 [CASSETTE]

Label: New Atlantis Country: USA

"Richmond, Virginia's SCUO was borne from a mutual desire to meld the concepts of technical metal with the timbres of experimental jazz. On 5678765, their cassette debut for New Atlantis Records, the duo explore this juxtaposition, creating a fine offering of tricky, prog-inflected instrumental avant rock. SCUO's rigorous compositional methods are evident upon first listen. The duo often start out writing traditional song forms, steadily deconstructing and rebuilding them with the hope of eventually composing music they are simply incapable of playing. The duo of guitarist Scott Burton and drummer Scott Clark (a dUO of SCott's, hence SCUO) are active in Richmond's blossoming experimental music scene. SCUO have shared the stage with Rob Mazurek's Starlicker, Ken Vandermark, Jason Ajemian & the HighLife, Zevious, Many Arms, No BS Brass Band, and a host of others. Outside of SCUO, they've collaborated with heavyweights Darius Jones, Matana Roberts, Jason Ajemian, and many more. For this special release, famed cosmic shredder Mick Barr offers up a special remix (as Ocrilim) of their tune 'Arms.' East Coast independent radio stalwart WFMU has described SCUO's tunes as "minimal, oblique arrangements which capitalize on explosive transitions from one musical theme to the next... the effect is intriguingly precise, robotic and proggy." Their description certainly rings true. 'Hands,' for example, begins with staccato utterances, eventually building into a landscape of pastoral sound. Clark eventually settles into a deep, forceful groove and Burton unfurls a serpentine pentatonic melody, flowing propulsively across measures. With 5678765, SCUO offer up a fine debut, comprised of rhythmically complex music that defies easy categorization, breathing life into the creative rock underground. This is the fourth title in our cassette series."-New Atlantis Records