Vitamin C. My Ugly Clementine

The Low Art plays with the High Art on the cover of this extremely pleasant album called Vitamin C. If only that worked, I find myself musing, eating more fruit in these days of uncertainty of health and future. The cover art combines the band name with the album title, but whether Adam will come alive from the touch with an ugly clementine is disputable.

My Ugly Clementine is from Vienna in Austria and around for a little over a year. On Valentine Day 2019 they shared a first sign of life, to play a first, sold out show, in the spring and after a few singles, here is the full album. The four members have all made a name for themselves in the Austrian, German music scene, but are new to me. The band presents itself as a true band, without a front person as they all sing.

The music is full of reminiscing of musical things of the post-punk era but full of melodic and melancholic songs to go with it. High sounding guitar tones accompany mid to faster tempo songs that all have sound drums at the bottom end. The 'Hair Wash Song', "I don't care, if you wash your hair", is a great example where everything My Ugly Clementine seems to come together. Different vocals, the signature sound, the dreamy vocals that so many post-punk female fronted bands have, the high sound of the guitar and the firm drums accompanied by a tight bass, that is not overly prominent. For me the song totally works and mildly rocks.

Promo photo: Hanna Fasching

My first album fitting the description and reference point will always be 'Eight Arms To Hold You' by Veruca Salt. No album has ever scaled that reference and neither does Vitamin C. That may be, I do find myself returning to it easily and often. The album has a soft attraction that is not easy to ignore.

The louder beginning of the album is not to be mistaken as the way forward. My Ugly Clementine is not afraid to show a very fragile side of itself. In 'Cool For You' the two sides come together. Underscoring the title of the song. "Trying to be cool for you", where the verses show that is far from the current situation. The chorus is a posture, trying and almost succeeding, had the song not had the verses.

Bands from Vienna on this blog can still be counted on the fingers of one hand. After Cari Cari one and a half year ago I have encountered another one that is very much worthwhile to know and enjoy.

Wo.

You can buy Vitamin C here:

https://inkmusic.at/home/shop/My-Ugly-Clementine-c44010188


or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g