Review: Cary Grace - The Uffculme Variations

Cary Grace is one of those artists for whom boundaries mean very little, both geographically and musically. An American ex-pat who has an instinctual grasp of 'English' music; early psychedelia, prog rock and psych folk can all be heard in her cannon. Her love of music doesn't just stop at playing it as she also makes Wiard analogue synthesisers down in Wessex. All of these factors come together nicely on her recordings - tumbling across genres with nary a pause for breath and all performed with an obvious deep love for the music. My introduction to Grace's music came via the epic 'Green Carrot Jam' and the cover of Amon Düül II song 'Archangel's Thunderbird' she did with Mauve La Biche. She should also be a familiar name to anyone au fait with the wonderful Fruits de Mer label. Very much a collaborative artist, on this outing - her set at Kozfest down in Uffculme earlier this year - she enlisted the services of Steffe Sharpstrings (Here & Now, Planet Gong) on guitar, and Graham Clark (Gong, Magick Brothers) on electric violin, and all ably backed by her band - Andy Budge on bass guitar, David Payne on drums and Victoria Reyes on keyboards and percussion.

So, to the music. The set is opened by 'Orange Sky', originally on 2015's 'Tygerland' album. What may seem like a straightforward track is transformed by the flashes of prog and psych courtesy of Grace's EMS VCS3 synth and the contributions from Sharpstrings and Clark...it is a track in which you can lose yourself...there is so much going on and the vocals and melody make it hauntingly beautiful. 'Trouble' is a real stormer, a driving, full-on prog workout with plenty of retro keyboards and vocals that sound uncannily like Hazel O'Connor at times. There is also some fantastic psychedelic guitar throughout. The juxtaposition of this high tempo belter with the more ethereal 'Orange Sky' is startling but also serves as a snapshot into Cary Grace as an artist.....never predictable, ever shifting, always inventive. 'Kozmik Eye' (a variation on 'Eye' from 'Projections') is an extended jam with some ace trippy guitars from Sharpstrings and the signature electric violin sounds of Clark. The structure is, again, very proggy but with plenty of psychedelic flourishes and synth swirls...another track that is never content to sit still but evolves and morphs as it grows. At times it is possibly the most psychedelic thing you will hear this year! 'The Uffculme Variations' is an improvised instrumental track - seven minutes of glorious guitar, violin and synths that flies along like a psych/prog locomotive....wonderful stuff! 'Cassiopeia, 2016' is a new take on 'Cassiopeia, 1572' from the double album 'Perpetual Motion' and is possibly my favourite on the album....everything just comes together beautifully.....the guitar and violin again star while Grace's synth adds some glorious swooshes and swirls to give things a spacey feel and the rhythm section are absolutely rock solid throughout (there is also one guitar solo from Steffe Sharpstrings that will leave you open-mouthed in awe!). It manages to encapsulate so much within its eleven minutes...more than some artists can manage in eleven albums. The set is brought to a close by 'The Grand Theme Of Things'. A slower number that sounds big. The prog structure gives it a real presence and Grace's vocals - laden in echo and almost spoken - are passionate and strident adding some real drama to things and provides a suitable rousing ending to a sublime set.

'The Uffculme Variations' is a wonderful document of what would seem to be a pretty awesome live set. The music of Cary Grace is always a thing of wonder, but in a live setting there is an added vitality and spontaneity. To neatly pigeonhole Grace's music into a category is nigh on impossible, but suffice it to say that anyone who loves progressive rock, psychedelia, space rock or psych folk with find something to love in this. I would also urge those who are unfamiliar with Grace's discography to delve into her back catalogue. 'The Uffculme Variations' will be released on October 31st as both a mini-LP style CD in a gatefold sleeve, available exclusively from music.carygrace.com/album/the-uffculme-variations, and as a download, available from all major digital music retailers.