Uzi Ramirez
Cheese in my Pocket
Mountain Music Records
A Progressive Blues Experiment.
With a title like Cheese in My Pockets, a psychedelic pop-art cover with the artist depicted uncannily like the Lone Groover; I wasn’t pre-disposed to listening to the contents of this record. Also, the album arrived without a press release and apart from knowing he’s from Israel I can’t find very much background info on him.
Then; as has happened several times this year; a track turned up on I-pod shuffle during a monotonous car journey. Intrigued by the Bluesy-Jazz fusion of Sundown Blues, I investigated further and the next 200 miles went by in a blur and a haze!
No two tracks here are alike; something I normally dislike, but somehow Ramirez’ voice and idiosyncratic guitar playing somehow hypnotised me; and I’m now a convert.
The album opens with some piano tinkling and a thumping bass guitar; before everything but the kitchen sink is thrown at a Blues Boogie foot-stomper; and I couldn’t wait to hear the next track.
Bodean; took my breath away as it’s a lovely Country standard; with leftfield lyrics; but had my smiling for each 3.34 minutes I’ve played it.
Two days later I’m still peeling layers away and discovering new gems in the undergrowth; with the 8 minute psychedelic opus Papercuts being my favourite one day and the Grunge infested Up & Down the next!
At one stage we even have a String Quartet regaling us for less than a minute on Honey Tree Evil Eye! I kid you not.
The title track, Cheese in My Pocket is the cornerstone that everything is built around. This 1960’s pop song is never as simple as it sounds; listen on headphones to have your mind expanded without the need for pharmaceuticals.
Three days in I’ve come to the conclusion that Cheese in My Pocket is akin to what might have happened if Frank Zappa had re-imagined the Beatles’ White Album; it’s really that good and that wacky.
Released July 2015
The Rocking Magpie 