Urban Verbs
Urban Verbs

In 1980, in Washington, a record was released that, in terms of sound and mood, would bridge the gap between the new wave of the United States and that of Europe.
It was the self-titled debut of Urban Verbs, a quintet whose singer, Roddy Frantz, was the brother of Chris Frantz, drummer of the more famous Talking Heads. It was indeed an interesting and original union of elements, giving life to a hybrid style, almost unique in the landscape of those years. The rhythm section was influenced by the typically American rockabilly background, with a present but dry drum, but also the pulsing and neurotic syncopations of their cousins, the Talking Heads.
The singing was permeated with Rhythm & Blues reminiscences, yet stripped of part of the visceral charge of that genre, favoring a tone that occasionally became detached, as the European school of the period wanted. The synthesizer parts, always continuous in shaping the tracks, contributed to "alienating" the sound, in line with the directions of the old continent, but were at the same time heavily indebted to the style of the great Ravenstine of Pere Ubu. The "voice" of the synth, in fact, was not as icy and solemn as in the works of the colder European dandies, John Foxx and Gary Numan, but was rather similar to a constant and impertinent buzz, an industrial hiss, not very melodic, often dissonant, surely very creative. This mix made their sound very interesting but too "distracting", and this, as often happens, is not a point in favor of commercial appeal.
Mind you, we are not facing a huge band, but rather a great band, which certainly would have deserved a bit more recognition.

Having said this, all that remains is to start the record and be seduced by the indefinable "Subways," where the European "spleen" is very evident, with shimmering guitars and a rhythm halfway between the motorism of Neu! and the breaks of early Ultravox!
A very dark rumble preludes the intro of a guitar that couldn't be more rock. "The Angry Young Men" is indeed "blacker" than the previous song, not in mood, but in style. Over everything, high in the sky, the flights of the synth. And here comes a partial calm with "Next Question," a semi-dusk ballad of great impact, undoubtedly one of the best tracks of the lot, where the synthesizer takes center stage along with the guitar, in a really exciting melodic weave. "Frenzy" instead brings the bass and drums to the forefront, emulating the pulsing detonations of the Talking Heads. The "deviated" mood of the new wave completely permeates "Ring Ring," while "The Only One Of You" slightly relaxes the atmosphere, opening up to a more melodious guitarism.
It seems that the band wisely alternated the sequence of tracks; the next "Luca Brasi," in fact, is an exhausting alternation between a frenetic rockabilly and a slow trickle of malicious synth and guitars, with a finale of pure instrumental delirium. A little gem.
Belonging to the same category is the concluding "The Good Life," perhaps the manifesto of their style. A metronomic rhythm on continuous ups and downs of synth, a guitar that punctuates notes in the background, and a tension that never loosens its grip for the entire 4 minutes. Another little new-wave masterpiece.

All that remains is to conclude by reiterating the quality of the work, inviting those who are interested to take advantage of the recent reissue by WOUNDED BIRD RECORDS. Happy hunting.