Herman Martinez – UltraTerrestrial

Herman Martinez – UltraTerrestrial – Album Review

This dude has always been cool.

Even way-back-when, with albums like Solopsi Radio, where I could barely wrap my head around the music of Herman Martinez, I kinda knew that was always much more my fault than his.  Some folks are naturally ahead of the game…some have such defined signature sounds that it takes us a minute or two to make sense of it in our heads…and some, like Martinez, are a healthy combination of both.  He’s got his thing…no doubt about that…and at this point, I’ve reviewed all of his records I think?  So I’m always looking for a little something different by this time in a career, with UltraTerrestrial being Herman’s fifth record.  I was pleased with the gateway into the album, which starts with the buzz of conversations or broadcasts, breaking way into one helluva meaty musical combination right afterwards.  When Herman switched it up to being piano led, after having “Uncanny Valley” start up with a bass/guitar/drums combo that ANY band would have rocked as a complete & total song from start to finish on a three minute track – this opener is a perfect reminder that Martinez is capable of a great many things.  More often than not, he’s apt to reveal many of those things in the course of a single song, and as he’s been evolving with his art & music throughout the years, his ideas have tended to be kaleidoscopic overall.  “Uncanny Valley” can’t help but remind you of some of Martinez’s past work because there is so much identity in his sound, but he’ll mesmerize you with its uniqueness at the very same time.  Listening to this dude LIGHT IT THE FUCK UP with his psychedelically-tinged-cinematic-style finale was something else.  Beyond that, I felt like he’s got some seriously memorable hooks in “Uncanny Valley” as well, particularly in the vocals, which kind of signals Herman might be more willing to meet listeners at the halfway point on UltraTerrestrial, merging intensely Progressive ideas & chops with accessible vibes.

Of course, I don’t expect the guy to LIVE in that accessible realm, I’m just saying he wears the suit fairly well when he wants to is all.  As I listened to “Changeling” and Herman went on to reveal a much more complex array of sound that would certainly confound more than a few folks listening, at the same time, I felt myself admiring Martinez for continually sticking to his guns and doing things his way.  He’s never compromised his sound throughout the entire time I’ve been listening to him, damn the torpedoes, as they say.  He’s as well aware of the kind of obstacles that exist between his music and the masses on a track like “Changeling” – to the degree where I don’t need to point’em out to him.  What I like is that the full spread offers a little something for everyone.  The main hooks and chorus are probably going to be the pinch point for most I’d imagine, right up to and including myself – it was pretty much everything else surrounding the chorus that had me the most excited about “Changeling.”  There IS a lot of stuff that the average everyday listener could still wrap their head around and love for sure, but with such exceptional instrumentation in this track, it’ll be the more dedicated music-heads that’ll appreciate this second cut the most.  In any event, if Herman wanted to make it all easy on ya, he would – it’s not an issue to talent or capability, so much as it’s been a trip that he’s personally on to do things differently.

Case in-point, “Thagomizer.”  Martinez is taking you further down the spiral and into the rabbit hole once again…and c’mon…if you’ve been listening to his music throughout the years, you should have known this was the only direction things ever really go for Herman.  “Random thoughts I think are lyrics,” he sings.  They sure are buddy, they sure are.  So look…he’s testing the fence early on in the lineup of UltraTerrestrial, and packing a metric TON of sound & ideas into this record – the way that “Thagomizer” will morph and change will certainly attest to that.  It’s always been fair to say that Herman’s tunes are a somewhat acquired taste because of the uniqueness in his songwriting, but he really seems like he’s deliberately made an effort to make melody as much of a priority as the heavy grooves & innovative instrumentation.  His vocal patterns are usually going to be a large part of what throws people off…he likes to play against the natural timing and fluidity of a song by going against the grain or flowing in the direction you’d expect to find, but that’s such a large part of the reason people listen to this dude’s music as well.  It’s not predictable.  LISTEN to the solo and instrumentation as this song trips past the third minute will ya?  LISTEN to the details laced into the background!  And then finally, LISTEN to the brilliant way Martinez twists this whole song into an entirely different sound by the time that it’s over.  “Thagomizer” is like an album’s worth of ideas crammed into one tune, which is not entirely uncharacteristic of this man’s music at all.

I braced myself as “Smudge” began.  Why?  Because it’s freakin’ GORGEOUS, that’s why.  Sometimes you come up against bands and artists like Herman Martinez that can’t fucking sit still ever, and you just know that where a song starts probably ain’t gonna be where it ends up.  The composition is exquisite here…the way that the piano and acoustic play off each other and enhance this whole track is fantastic.  That’s right – I said WHOLE track…because all that bracing was for nothing – Martinez keeps “Smudge” ALMOST entirely intact.  Did I ever want the atmospherically-melodic vibe he was in to end?  Not at first – but “Smudge” is an excellent example of how, as listeners, we need to have a little faith in the vision of the people creating the music and be willing to follow along.  So while I would have been more than happy to have remained in the enchanting and beautifully mysterious melody that he cases “Smudge” within for the most part, hearing the finale of this song spring to life at the end in such an inspired way made me wanna stand up and cheer for the guy.  I’ll put it to ya this way…with so much of this song in one particular gear, you really don’t see any switch coming at all…and as the clock ticks down, you realize how daring it would have to be to make a shift in its sound.  Herman finds plenty of time.  He’ll give ya a kickass acoustic noodlin’ breakdown, and then recreate it in an all-electric, fireworks display of Psychedelic Rock that ends up being one of the most intensely satisfying moments on the whole album.

Herman’s one of those extremely rare artists that I always have a tougher time imagining what it would be like for regular folks to listen to…like, it’s hard to break outta my head as a music journalist, you know what I mean?  In many ways, I just assume they’d be overwhelmed by all that’s going on.  Whether it’s the uniqueness of the composition, or in Martinez’s approach to making music, or the randomness in his lyricism or sound selection…there’s just so much going on that it can make even the most seasoned listener’s head spin as they try to figure out what the hell their ears are supposed to focus on.  That’s one of the greatest things about listening to Herman’s music though…you’ll hear a track like “Cauda Pavona,” and think you’ve got a rough idea of what’s going on, but the very next time you’ll listen to it, you might hear it a completely different way.  Like I said earlier, it’s a kaleidoscopic kind of effect – you can tilt your head in a different direction, and all of a sudden, you’ll hear entirely different things happening in any of the tracks on UltraTerrestrial.  To me, I understand there are both advantages and disadvantages in that.  On the plus side, the longevity of a record like this is increased because there’s always going to be something new for you to hear no matter how many times you’ve heard it – and on the negative side of that scenario, the masses are much more comfortable with familiarity.  I’m pretty sure we know who Herman’s making music for though.  He’s not catering to the lowest common denominator, so much as helping them expand their sonic palette every time they dare to give his music another try.  “Cauda Pavona” contains some absolutely amazing stuff within it.  Whether it’s the piano that is somehow simultaneously acting as a lead and background instrument, or the heavy low-end presence that makes the atmosphere of “Cauda Pavona” feel very close in a way that envelops you, this track makes the most of its length by immersing you in quality ideas.  I wasn’t as sure about it as it began as I became after a few spins…maybe a clashing vocal tone here & there that seemed awkward, I dunno…but “Cauda Pavona” feels very real and organic because of that as well.  The more I spun my way through UltraTerrestrial over this past couple weeks, the more I came to really love this song and feel like it could very well be one of the most unsung heroes within the lineup – don’t overlook this one.

That being said, some tracks are bound to make a little more sense to your ears at first, and “Unreliable Narrator” is probably one of the songs that’ll work that way with listeners out there.  I LOVE an “Unreliable Narrator” – it’s like, literally my favorite thing in books, movies, television…fuck…stories around the campfire, I don’t care – tell me a tale from a perspective I can’t trust and I will likely LOVE it.  “I appreciate your patience as I measure the world / Searching for truth though the trail has gone cold” is also one of my favorite lines in any tune on this record.  Martinez should get a lot of props for the ways he’s added the drums into these songs…you’ll rarely, if ever, find the dude just keeping the beat.  There is a ton of innovative stuff happening from the throne, and it makes such a difference to how we hear these songs he’s creating…really helps them stand out.  “Unreliable Narrator” is a stellar example of how he could have used a very simplified beat and it would have been enough, but with the inventive parts he’s created, you get that much more out of an idea like this.  It also has some of my favorite guitar work and vocal melodies as well.  I’m not saying that I love the vocals the entire way distance through – I think you’ll find some incredible highlight moments, and that for the most part, he’s bang-on for the right tone to make it work.  Pattern-wise, he’s got some parts I really dig on the microphone, and a few others that didn’t stand out quite as much by comparison I guess…but overall, “Unreliable Narrator” is a solid combination of laidback vibes and intense art.  Kind of like a Blind Melon jam in many ways, which I like.  Not the stuff you’d find on the radio, but the deeper cuts that their most dedicated fans appreciated.  When he gets his vocals right, he’s really nailing it – listen to that spot around the forty-five second mark for example…that’s one of the strongest hooks in the whole song & Martinez uses it so damn sparingly that he’s basically musically blue-balling us all.

The age-old debate…should the title-track be THE track of all tracks on a record, or is it just another song?  I usually think they’re more symbolic when it comes right down to it…or like, suggestive when it comes to what the overall album was trying to be in some way I guess.  There can be a lot of pressure on these tunes because of that never-ending debate though – a ton of folks would tell you that the title-track HAS to be the centerpiece, both listeners and creators alike.  And to some degree I get it – it’s only natural that we might think of things from that perspective, whether listening or creating.  To be 100% truthful though, I think the majority of title-tracks tend to miss more than they hit.  Maybe that’s the pressure of trying to elevate that centerpiece…maybe it’s the weight of a song that means more to the people behind creating it than it can with the people listening…maybe it’s some other reason entirely – I’m just telling you what my own experience has been like in listening to title-tracks throughout the years.  As for “UltraTerrestrial,” I’m kind of in both camps.  Don’t particular love the downward cascading vocal melody, but I’m not really all that against it either.  I think I just felt like the vocal aspects of this particular tune seemed to be less of a priority when it came to what makes this song interesting.  As I’ve said many times, if something’s not adding to your material, it could very well be taking something away…and I’m pretty close to feeling that way about “UltraTerrestrial” if I’m not already there.  The music on this song is sensational…the mood…the aura…the atmosphere – it’s all practically award-worthy stuff from my perspective, but the vocals felt like more of a forced fit into this song than a natural inclusion, make sense?  Then when you consider how damn good the instrumental sections and finale of this track are…that’s where you start to wonder how much vocals would help a track like this get listened to, or if they’re hindering its potential reach.  That switch to the all-instrumental finale around the 4:15 mark is absolutely awesome, and for the next nearly three-minutes right through to the end, “UltraTerrestrial” flexes Herman’s musical muscle in an awe-inspiring performance.  He’ll bring the vocal hooks back for another run mind you, but it’s the music that is the most engaging part of this cut.  The way he glides to the finish and sets this track down on a cushion of air by the end is truly something.

The shortest track on the record by a whole second, “Sol,” should have no real problems grabbing a set of ears or two.  One of the more cohesive ideas when it comes to the balance from start to finish, “Sol” is what you will likely consider to be a very complete tune.  Really smart use of layers of synth in the distance of the background, cleverly diverse ideas in the drums…a potent and powerful performance from the microphone that SOUNDS like it has intent & purpose to it.  Not to harp on the same issue I was just ranting about, but I guess this highlights the difference…”UltraTerrestrial” felt like it was constantly searching for the right way to approach the vocals, and “Sol” just naturally has the right fit.  Having said that, “Sol” is almost so dialed-back from the many twists and turns Martinez has taken throughout the bulk of this record, that I could theoretically understand if folks glossed right over this song at first.  It doesn’t necessarily have that spark or specifically memorable moment to it, so much as “Sol” is the kind of track you fully appreciate from beginning to end.  Artistically designed, and even a little jazzy at times…I dunno…call me crazy, but the understated energy of “Sol” is a huge part of its allure.  It might not be the track that’ll have you jumping up and down in excitement, but I’d be willing to bet that “Sol” will get its due share of the love from Herman Martinez’s fan-base for the commitment you can feel in every second of this song.  Everything sounds so purposeful in this cut – I freakin’ love it.

Mmmmmmmm!  YEAH!  Tasty!  The beginning of “I Hope Something Good Happens To You Today” is one of the most inviting openings to any track on this record.  So good in fact, that Herman had me a little bit worried for a moment or two that the beginning was going to outshine the rest of the song.  I think he’s got an excellent vocal melody fueling the verses of “I Hope Something Good Happens To You Today,” and I’d probably tell you I’m more interested in that than what’s happening in the chorus.  At least until he hits that falsetto moment at the very end of the hooks, then I’m like…can we call it a draw?  Because while he’s tried similar things in songs throughout his catalog along the way, that bend from low to high can often come out as a tough transition for listeners to fully absorb or appreciate for all the skill that it would sincerely take to pull off.  When it comes to the case of “I Hope Something Good Happens To You Today,” that switch to Martinez’s falsetto is one of the best I’ve heard from the man, and it really comes across brilliantly as we listen.  Now…shit is gonna get CRAZY by the end as Herman decides to go on the offensive once again and assault your speakers with a spectacular display of psychedelic sound that seemingly comes out of nowhere this time around…so…yeah…I mean…people are gonna feel how they feel, right?  “I Hope Something Good Happens To You Today” has two totally different personalities, and you very well might like one of’em more than the other.  I’m in love with the verses of this song personally.  Chorus I could probably take or leave…at least until that magnificent vocal highlight I’ve pointed out.  The sprawling instrumentation at the end?  I started to listen to this track from a part-one and part-two kind of perspective…almost out of necessity, like I needed to compartmentalize this cut in order to make sense out of it myself.  Does one half need the other?  No!  Honestly, it seems like two completely different ideas woven into one in many ways, but whatever – I like them both, I just don’t know if they necessarily belonged together.  Credit where credit is due, the actual transition from one side of this song’s personality to the other is tremendously smooth, and honestly, that kind of defies the odds.  Shake that kaleidoscope; buy the ticket, and take the ride friends.

What I personally find fascinating, is that with the way Herman chooses to mix his vocals with the layers and such, he comes out sounding just as much like Jason Wade from Lifehouse as he does Chris Cornell at other times – and like…well…you wouldn’t expect that both would be mentioned in the same breath, right?  Yet here we are and that’s the case.  When it comes to “Photographic Reflexes,” Martinez is more on the Wade side of his sound, but more on the Cornell side when it comes to the songwriting.  Heck, for a track that’s like, 4:20 in length, it’s impressive that he ends up in like…Pink Floyd-esque terrain at one point too.  I guess you get the point – there’s a lot of diversity & range in a song like “Photographic Reflexes.”  I think the listeners out there will appreciate this track though…for as much as it changes in its demeanor, mood, and personality along the way, it feels like it has a real organic and logical flow to it that we can easily travel along with.  “Sometimes love can live in disconnected narratives” is another absolutely knockout line from Martinez as well – it’s not just a good lyric for this particular song, it’s a standout in his whole catalog, in my opinion.  After our recent interview with Herman Martinez from earlier this year, where he pointed out a particular line that shows up on all of his records…you’ll find its appearance on “Photographic Reflexes” too if you’ve been hunting for it.  I’ll admit, ten songs deep into the lineup, I was starting to wonder if he was gonna slip that into this setlist or not for a hot minute.  In any event, I felt like “Photographic Reflexes” was another track that was supremely effective in straddling the space between what Herman wants to create versus what the audience can handle, and felt like it was another justifiable highlight for both its accessibility & completeness from start to finish.  It’s got strings, it’s got balance, it’s got an insightfully ambitious composition that is far from typical, and delivers listeners the kind of uniqueness that their ears are likely starved for in their everyday travels.

If you want a closer glimpse of Martinez’s sick-ass instrumentation without the distraction of any vocals gettin’ in the way – BEHOLD – he gives you “Origins” to finish up the new record in a blaze of heated instrumentation.  I’d take a full record of this stuff any day of the week…I’m kinda surprised he hasn’t done it by now if I’m being real with ya.  Vocals can be a great thing of course, don’t get me wrong, but there’s a real freedom in just being able to flick on the amps and let it fuckin’ loose without having to worry about any of that too.  When you listen to this enormous last track, you can hear the artistic value in that for Martinez on a personal level…cuts as adventurous and outright mammoth as “Origins” are, tend to speak for themselves, you feel me?  Vocals of any kind would have just gotten in the way here, and Herman was wise to steer clear and just let the music do the talkin’ this time around.  For real y’all – “Origins” is a nine plus-minute long tune, with zero opportunity to become bored by it.  Whether it’s the man shredding it up with his guitar, or breaking things down with his piano, this finale track is the full meal deal for your earholes, and delivers a seriously satisfying ending.  Wild, gnarly, untamed…you name it…Martinez allows for a genuinely unrestrained burst of energy with this last cut on UltraTerrestrial, and attacks it with full confidence and conviction.  And that’s what makes it work!  If he had gone into this track and half-assed it…it would have been a calamitous mistake…but thankfully, the dude put his head down, went to work, and handled his business like a motherfuckin’ BOSS.  Whether he was rocking at maximum intensity, or chillin’ out as the beat worked its magic, “Origins” steadily supplied the commitment to each one of its twists and turns along the way.  An excellent ending to what’s been another consistent addition to Herman’s catalog, “Origins” blazes to the finish line in a way that should send you right back to the repeat button to have a listen to UltraTerrestrial all over again.

This multi-link will take you right into the world of Herman Martinez and all the amazing things he does:  https://linktr.ee/hermanmartinezartwork

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