Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

The last issue of Cross Rhythms magazine gave you a chance to check out a track by this outfit on The Experience' CD taken from their excellent recent album 'Beautiful Lazy'. Two years ago they recorded 'St Paul Town' and it still feels fresh and full of fun. The band themselves are excellent observers of human nature and these thought provoking lyrics are carefully disguised with a pile of fun tunes that are guaranteed to get the crowds going. Very much a live band playing in bars, clubs and events rather than in churches, UHQ manage to create a style of rootsy alt country that knows how to let loose and yet manages to integrate cajun, roots and even a bit of blues and rock into the mix. From the opening 100 mph of "Living In The City" through the gentle title cut and the country stomp of "Prom King" which manages to mix catchy, rootsy country with a lyric that deserves closer inspection (it actually occupies a similar theme to Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days"). The band spread out on "Die Young", creating a bit of a swampy country sound which then is extended on "Rapture Of The Deep" which incorporates some dense blues sounds and suddenly UHQ sound like no other band. Other favourites include the slowish "Coming Home" and the interesting "Grandma" where country meets Ravi Shankar as a sitar fills out the sound. "Been There Before" is a new genre of music - funky country! How to sum up something so diverse? I never thought I'd write the words "hip" and "country" in the same sentence unless I was reporting Dolly Parton having a hip operation but here it is, UHQ are Hip Country and I love it!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.