George Ward
Freelance journalist and online editor for CLUNK. Can be found out and about in Bristol, finding cheap records or having a pint on King Street.
Cambridge born alt-rock band UGLY return with new single ‘Hands Of Man’, following a recent tour with Black Country, New Road
Black Country, New Road choosing UGLY as support for their recent shows was a perfect move. Both groups share the same experimental style of art-rock music which never loses sight of the importance of being emotionally accessible.
UGLY’s last single ‘The Wheel‘ was a sprawling epic of a song, featuring a lengthy acapella introduction before unfolding into a multi-phased, emotionally charged and incredibly energetic triumph. While new single ‘Hand Of Man‘ is not quite as ambitious, it is still filled with character and will intrigue you as to what a full length UGLY release might sound like.
The track opens with galloping folk guitars, creating momentum before the soft vocals glide in. The track unfolds slowly and surely, with new textures, harmonies and playful vocal lines subtly stacking upon one each other.
At the midway point, everything cuts out, leaving only vocals and a chugging guitar line as each line returns at its own pace. It’s a masterfully controlled single which sounds far more confident than you’d expect from a band with only a handful of singles in the world. When it finally explodes into the final chorus, with vocals from 4 singers in unison, the effect is incredibly powerful.
The band explain: “We tend to shy away from lyrics that tell an obvious story and rely on themes that evoke a feeling or image, coupled with what feels the most exciting phonetically.”
Listen to ‘Hands Of Man’ here:
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