Reason one / Connections / The Pleasant Valley / Comfort the Dead / Courage to Kill / Neverland / Got the Gold / The Stone that Floats / I Will See the Morning / A long Row to Hoe / River Bird

BACKWATER RECORDS

Uncle Black are an Aldrige based outfit bashing out ploddingly unoriginal indie rock sounds; think the Stereophonics meets latter day Oasis with even less imagination and fire, and you'll be somewhere close.

On their second record, EARTHLING, the trio deliver a collection of instantly forgettable acoustic based pop, songs like REASON ONE and CONNECTIONS passing you by with little to trouble you beyond the vague whiff of pleasant inoffensiveness and dull melodic indifference.  Things hardly improve as the record goes on, the likes of THE PLEASANT VALLEY, COMFORT THE DEAD and NEVERLAND uninvolving lessons in dull plodding acoustic pop that make Travis look like bleeding edge musical mavericks.

EARTHLING is unfortunately a record that never hits its stride or proves itself a particularly worthwhile listen, songs such as THE STONE THAT FLOATS, A LONG ROW TO HOE and I WILL SEE THE MORNING are instances that never dream to deviate from the acoustic guitar, dirge ridden drum beat and forlorn vocal formula that runs through the entire album, Uncle Black never emerging as a band that rise above the mediocre or average.  Ultimately, EARTHLING is a record that proves instantly forgettable.

BIOGRAPHY

Uncle Black formed in 2001 around the duo of Les King and Mike Aldridge. Les writes the songs, plays the guitar and sings. Mike plays the bass and makes lovely harmonies. Along the way they collected Paul Ashworth who bangs the drums.

They have been recording on Backwater Records since 2002, and are due soon to release their second album.

The music aims to be uplifting even if slightly troubled, and mixes country, pop and folk overtones into a contemporary sound, but with a definite link to the past.

LINE UP

Les King

Mike Aldridge

Paul Ashworth

DISCOGRAPHY

FIREFLIES (2002)

Fireflies

This Town

This House

EARTHLING (Backwater Records>2003)

Reason one

Connections

The Pleasant Valley

Comfort the Dead

Courage to Kill

Neverland

Got the Gold

The Stone that Floats

I Will See the Morning

A long Row to Hoe

River Bird 

LINKS

Uncle Black>www.uncleblack.com

FURTHER LISTENING

Travis

Oasis

Stereophonics