 |
From the Vault...
02/01/2015
#1449 |
|
info
Urge Overkill
"Saturation"
© Geffen Records
Year of Release: 1993
Rating:
|
track listing
|
Sister Havana
Tequila Sundae
Positive Bleeding
Back On Me
Woman 2 Woman
Bottle Of Fun
Crackbabies
The Stalker
Dropout
Erica Kane
Nite And Grey
Heaven 90210
Operation Kissinger
|
WSVNRadio Archives
Urge Overkill related sites:
|
|
|
Urge Overkill
"Saturation"
Urge Overkill (the name came from a song by Parliament -- "Funkentelechy") was originally formed in Chicago. Their sound is "Stonesy fusion of
arena rock and punk". Alternative Rock yes, definitely a side of Punk, yes. And yes, even a slight comparison to the (Rolling) Stones, especially the
mid-1970s Stones. Saturation became the band's major label release. (Their previous recordings (albums/EPs) were released on the Independent label,
Touch And Go.)
"Sister Havana" leads it off, being the big hit from the album (and being the best track, overall). This album also has some very good rocking
songs, more in the Alternative Rock vein. "Tequila Sundae" is one of those. On "Positively Bleeding," Nash Kato's vocals is the highlight,
and overall, he is a very good singer. "Back On Me" has a softer sound, and quite honestly, it works very well. Great guitars, as "Woman 2
Woman" has a mix of Rock and Punk.
Alternative Rock definitely gets the nod for "Bottle Of Fun," as it has a Rock edge with the Alternative Rock. It's another great song. More on
the Alternative Rock, ala Nirvana, has "Crackbabies." (Urge Overkill was the opening act for Nirvana, when they first started out.) The tapes were
rolling on "The Stalker," as the band was talking a little bit, before kicking the song into gear. On this particular track, the mid-1970s Stones
come to play, yet it's like the Stones vs. Punk. As for the Punk side, the band Motorhead comes to mind while listening to the vocal style in some parts
on the song. "Dropout" is a more softer side in Alternative Rock, where "Erica Kane," (the name comes from the soap opera character, from
All My Children, has Alternative Rock meets Punk.
"Nite And Grey" is another one of those great tracks, as it should be (or maybe it should have) been a track played often on radio playlists.
The last track, "Heaven 90210" is a nice and good rock song to end the album.
There is a hidden track found, "Opeation Kissinger" (It is found at the 24-minute mark of the last track, "Heaven 90210." Overall
musically, it sounds like George Thorogood's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer."
Saturation by Urge Overkill is an amazing and great rock album, being that as the band's first major-label debut. They may not have been a band
well-remembered. Their other big hit was a remake of Neil Diamond's "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon." This remake was never on a studio album by
the band. It was included in the soundtrack of Quentin Taratino's Pulp Fiction When I heard their remake, the vocals sounded pretty much exactly
as Diamond's. (Which brings me to a story about one of the artists WSVNRadio promoted in our
Hall of Fame series -- Erik Erikson. His singing
voice resembled that of Neil Diamond, and Erik had the opportunity to meet Neil, and Neil informed Erik "not to sing like me." Of course, this had to
be devastating, giving a much different opinion of Neil Diamond, as a person.)
For the Alternative Rock fan (and Rock fan alike), Urge Overkill will not be a disappointment. They recorded 2 major-label albums in their career,
2 years apart, on the Geffen Record label: Saturation (1993) and Exit The Dragon (1995). They returned in 2011, with Rock And Roll
Submarine, on their own UO label. For the Nirvana / Pearl Jam fans, this is pretty much the Alternative Rock style you will expect from
Saturation.
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Geffen Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
|
|
