Umami

Umami, on the tongue, is considered the "fifth taste" (after the more commonly known sensations of salty, sour, bitter and sweet). It has many definitions: savory, pungent, meaty, emotionally flavorful. In musical form, Umami is all of these things and more. It is a thunderous explosion of sound and energy. Its basic ingredients are simple: two bass players and one drummer. The final taste is rich and thick, with powerful and complex melodies punched out amid a furious flurry of beats. Umami, to the ear, is fast, intelligent, aggressive rock. The sparse vocals are reminiscent of Pinback, but the overall sound is certainly harder and more frenetic. It blends the quirky math constructions of Don Caballero with the stripped-down power pop of Flin Flon. It calls to mind the contagiously savage electricity (not to mention similar instrumentation) of Death From Above 1979. All of this and more is thrown on the Umami grill, with secret sauce, and grilled to perfection. Umami is a band that lives and thrives in Brooklyn NY, but its members are southerners at heart, schooled in the indie rock oasis of Chapel Hill NC. Chris Carson (drums), Brian Licari and Brian Walsh (both on bass and vocals) each have long musical histories in these vibrant "scenes," even performing together in the past. But Umami is a fresh creation, just over a year old. The band is grounded in strong friendship, a freeflowing creative process, and a dedication to catchy but challenging hooks. in a short time they have hammered out a unique sound and gained a reputation for loud and sweaty shows. They have also just released a 6-song demo EP "Confront the Light."