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[musicallyrich]

Crate Digger’s Corner: Uzi Ramirez- Cheese In My Pocket (2015, Black Gold Records)

Crate Digger’s Corner…By DJ Musically Rich

Today I am writing about a little known record from 2015. Uzi Ramirez- Cheese In My Pocket is a brilliant rock album filled with amazing playing and arranging. The album consists of Uzi Ramirez’s trio and The Extra Cheese Orchestra. It constantly takes left turns from song to song and occasionally within a song itself. I have this on LP, which I found used and bought based on the cover art, and the fact that noted jazz musicians Avishai Cohen (tpt, mellophone) and Yonathan Avishai (piano) were both in the chamber orchestra. I had never heard of Uzi Ramirez before purchasing this album.

The album opens with the orchestral infused ‘Surrender’. It opens with The Extra Cheese Orchestra creating a driving force that Uzi Ramirez’s guitar breaks through to get the song going. This song in particular puts a focus on the arranging for the orchestra (by Uzi Ramirez), to put the song on a grander scale. It has a bridge in it where the orchestra is leading the way and creating a psychedelic haziness. That leads into a ripping guitar solo tearing through that haziness while the orchestra then creates a sound cloud that sends waves over the listener. Throughout the first track, I get little Beatles-ish vibes coming through. ‘Back In The USSR’, ‘Hey, Bulldog’ and ‘Drive My Car’ are songs that I can hear within the ideas of this opening piece (in the best way). There are others, but the song takes enough left turns that they eluded me before I could place them.

‘Bodean’ follows and is a lilting country-ish song, which seemingly is about the girl that just won’t give you the time of day. Then, the album turns to a song that sounds like a lost Black Keys track with ‘Call My Name’. Next is ‘Blossom’ a Spanish, nearly tango, styled song. It is performed in largely a hushed tone, and has a speak-singing (Sprechstimme for all of you opera fans) vocal style. The song opens up into an instrumental break from the orchestra that ends on a very bleak sounding minor chord. The first side ends with ‘Cheese In My Pocket’, a song with a ‘50s rock feel to it. That seems appropriate for the title to the song, since there was definitely some cheese to many of the early rock songs from the ‘50s.

Side 2 opens with the driving rock song, ‘Papercuts’. The guitar and harmonica playing on this track are a standout. They simultaneously solo during one brief solo break which is a great improv by the two of them. There is some fine keyboard and banjo work that is understated but impeccably placed. Then, a fantastic instrumental coda takes you on a ride to the end of the song.

‘Love You All The Time’ is a lazy, rock tune. That is followed by ‘Sundown Blues’ a fuzzed out blues rock song. It is centered by a nice guitar solo and, in general, nice guitar work on the track. Beautiful hints of organ, which are timed just right, show up throughout the song. That is followed by the orchestral interlude, ‘Honey Tree Evil Eye’. ‘I Know It’s Mine’ is a folky track that is next on the album. It is just guitar and trumpet supporting Uzi’s vocals. It is a great song with very introspective/reflective lyrics bringing a calm to the album. The final song, ‘The Elevator Goes Up And Down’, feels like friends and family getting together for a jam in the backyard. It is a fitting end to a fantastic album.

4.5/5 stars

Available on LP/CD

RIYL (and it was tough with this album): The Beatles- s/t (White Album) [also, I’d guess, probably an influence on the album], Cass McCombs- Mangy Love, Hard Working Americans- Rest In Chaos

You can see more albums on my IG account: djmusicallyrich

To hear a track from the album click below...

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