Oui
Omnivore, 2022
9/10
It’s been over a decade since we’ve heard new music from the veteran rockers Urge Overkill, and Nash Kato and King Roeser make the most of this 12 track outing with their signature hook heavy and riff friendly brand of rock.
“Freedom!” opens the listen with an energetic blast of melodic and warm alt-rock, where gritty yet tuneful vocal harmonies populate the intricate guitar work of the George Michael cover, and “A Necessary Evil” continues with a calmer approach of thumping drums, buzzing guitars and a bit of post-punk.
The middle tracks are among the best, and include the raw meets soulful vocals of the gritty “I Been Ready”, while “A Prisoner’s Dilemma” twists and turns with a multi-faceted version of rock that’s arena ready. “Litany”, another excellent track, then brings much rasp into the soaring and thundering climate.
“Won’t Let Go” and “Snow” exit the listen, where the former sounds indebted to early ‘90s’ alt-rock in all the best ways, and the latter builds off a hypnotic riff and into a more intimate landscape.
Though the bulk of their fame arrived decades ago when their cover of Neil Diamond’s “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon” made its way onto the Pulp Fiction soundtrack, these dozen sturdy and rugged tunes prove that Urge Overkill’s songwriting chops haven’t waned one bit.
Travels well with: Matthew Sweet- Catspaw; Bob Mould- Blue Hearts