The 5uu's recorded intermittently over the years for labels like Cuneiform Records and ReR until returning in 2000 with Regarding Purgatories. While credited to both
Dave Kerman and
the 5uu's, the Cuneiform CD is primarily a solo vehicle for composer and multi-instrumentalist
Kerman, who wrote all the music and performs much of it on overdubbed guitars, keyboards, drums, bass, vocals, and noisy effects. Regarding Purgatories is an intriguing CD that should appeal to many fans of the European RIO groups and their spinoffs, particularly the Art Bears, a post-
Henry Cow trio featuring guitarist
Fred Frith, drummer
Chris Cutler, and vocalist
Dagmar Krause. The recording has a dark and Gothic mood similar to the Art Bears and early
King Crimson.
Kerman favors dense constructions with layers of distorted guitars and keyboards driven by martial drumbeats and unconventional percussion. Irregular melodies and skewed rhythms are interspersed with sinister drones and chants and embellished with buzzing, clanking, scraping, and other abrasive sounds. Not exactly a walk in the park, Regarding Purgatories is rather heavy going at times but still compelling by virtue of its sheer sonic inventiveness. ~ Dave Lynch