Sun Uther Wahn – Echos Edge
Sun Uther Wahn – Echos Edge – Album Review
Man this mystery took me some time to solve. Sun Uther Wahn…Sun Uther Wahn…like…it’s not the kind of name you forget, you know what I mean? Yet…I couldn’t freakin’ place where we’d crossed paths before. For a moment, I assumed that it had to be from seeing the name pop up somewhere on other pages than our own…I checked through our records here, and I couldn’t find anything, so it must have been someone else’s, right? Then I hit up Facebook, to find that we’re following his page there, and that really only happens after I’ve had some kind of interaction with an artist or band at some point in time – so what the heck? To further the mystery, this dude’s got releases on Spotify that date back to 2022…that’s right, two years ago. My memories clearly terrible now and I get that, but it’s not THAT bad – if I’d run into Sun Uther Wahn in the past two years, that’d still be fresh in my mind. So I scoured the archives and every file on my computer…blew off the dust from old hard drives and such – I know that I know the name of Sun Uther Wahn…but how? It took some serious research through my files, but I did eventually figure it out! Back when I was still just a young tadpole here at sleepingbagstudios, way back in the summer of 2014 – nearly ten years ago now – I once wrote up a biography for Sun Uther Wahn.
So the next time someone talks about how music is a cyclical thing, believe them, because it’s true. It might take a while, but this wheel keeps on turning and things eventually come back around again.
Anyhow! Welcome back Sun Uther Wahn…apparently it’s been a minute or two.
Last I’d checked in, he was putting together a record called Jedi Mind Music…it takes some digging to find that out there online, but it still exists. From the looks of things on an updated Spotify page today, I’d assume that he’s given the ol’ career a bit of a reboot back in 2022, though his history certainly dates much further back than the time we first crossed paths in 2014. According to the bio he’s got currently online, he’s been doin’ this music thang for something like forty years in total, which is nearly the span of my entire life. From the pre-release information on Echos Edge, you’ll find Sun Uther Wahn, aka Norman Williams, handling the bass, keys, and vocals…Sheldon Beard on the drums and vocals…and Tristin Odom on the ol’ guitar. So I reckon what once began as a solo thing, has become a collective. That’s about everything I know…beyond what I hear of course in this new album of theirs…so let’s crack into that and see what I can tell ya about this crew currently based out of Clarke County in Mississippi.
It begins with a minute-long intro of sorts, called “The Master And His Emissary.” Well…to be fair, it’s slightly over a minute, but you get it – it’s that kind of sonic palette cleanser of an opening…a glimpse into what could follow…the sample of what you’re in-store for. It’s ambient…instrumental…wordless – again, you get it…”The Master And His Emissary” flies by pretty quickly and seamlessly slides right into “Pandora’s Song” right afterwards. I’m surprised there are even two characters referenced in the title when it feels like we only got the time to meet one before we were already moving on to the next tune!
I will say this when it comes to “Pandora’s Song” – in terms of a first impression, the first thing I’m hearing is that immaculate snare sound from Sheldon’s kit. It’s a rarer sound to find out there in the scene, but that’s essentially my favorite snare sound in the world if I’m being real with ya…you find it in tunes like “Heterosexual Man” by The Odds or “Super Satellite” by Our Lady Peace…obviously it’s found elsewhere too, but it’s less common and I’ve never understood really why that is when the sound it contains is so freakishly irresistible! In any event, Beard is the steady anchor at the core of this first track…Odom’s guitars are a good fit…Williams has lots of good ideas on how to fill in the space with the bass and backing elements from the keys…and the vocals of Sun Uther Wahn fit a vibe like this really well too. A track like “Pandora’s Song” is a stellar example of how to blend what’s tried, tested, and true in the history of music, with the kind of experimentalism that gives it an updated feel overall. I really dig what they’ve done in the finale of this tune with the whispered vocals at the end – it’s a solid beginning.
“A Little Bit Of Rain” has more of a downhome and earthy sound to it as it begins…more towards the style of something you’d find in the Classic Rock section, as opposed to the more Progressive thread that it feels like the album started with. Regardless…that’s all arbitrary to a degree anyhow…what matters is how things are played – the rest is all the usual battle with the court of public opinion and the personal taste of listeners out there. “A Little Bit Of Rain” is perhaps the best glimpse of their combined expertise early on in this lineup, and what they each bring to the music of Sun Uther Wahn. When you get to the solos of this tune, you’ll know exactly what I mean…you get serious highlights from Odom’s guitar, and a wild dose of character provided through the keys of Williams as well – and combined, that’s probably what turned this track from good to great for me. Other than that, the main hooks are catchy enough to the point where I’d consider “A Little Bit Of Rain” as a potential single to put out there I suppose…it’s got a fairly rural vibe to it all-in-all, but it’s still a sound that listeners out there love like a timeless tradition.
“Man Of Misfortune” communicates its serious demeanor straight away, with a bit more of a synthetic vibe to it. Personally, I feel like we’ve got some really great things going on with this tune – but…I don’t feel like it has quite reached its full potential…yet. Mix-wise, I’m hearing a bit of a struggle here, and a song that deserves a better shake than it’s currently getting. And you know something? I feel like they know that…there’s too many qualified ears and such a wealth of experience in Sun Uther Wahn, that their gut has gotta be telling them something isn’t quite adding up to the standard they’re looking for sound-wise. All the ideas they’ve got here, are spectacular – I’m genuinely a big fan of this particular song…and it wouldn’t take much more than the sliding of a couple knobs or twisting of the ol’ dials on the studio boards to fix this up right quick. As it stands, the vocals are the main issue – they’re sitting high up in the song, which makes everything else surrounding them, shrink. I’m cool with the effects they’re using on them – and I love the additional backing vocals added to this tune as well – but the music sounds practically non-existent by comparison to how far the vocals are up in the mix, and it’s not until they’re out of the song that we get to the rest of what “Man Of Misfortune” has to offer. Don’t get me wrong – the most impressive aspects of this song are completely IN the vocals…there’s not a doubt in my mind about that really…but even when that’s the case, a more balanced mix is still gonna be the better way to go. Right now, it just seems like we’re supposed to hear nothing but the vocals, and that’s not really how songs work, you know what I mean? Sun Uther Wahn has gotta get back under the hood and tinker with this one while there’s still time to do it, prior to the release of Echos Edge this March 1st.
The easiest way to tell whether or not I’ve got an accurate assessment here is for Sun Uther Wahn to have a listen to the way that the two songs surrounding “Man Of Misfortune” don’t have the same issues I was just talkin’ about. That being said…would I take an imbalanced mix of “Man Of Misfortune” over “Good To Be Free?” You betcha…and twice on Sundays. I look at music through a very simple lens – you wanna have the most outstanding parts of a song featured to a degree for sure, but more importantly, you don’t want the pieces that aren’t to become the dominant traits either – make sense? So like…when I’m listening to the lead guitar melody of “Good To Be Free” as the most prevalent sound in the mix, and how it’s not really played with the feel you’d get from being entirely comfortable with the part or as rehearsed as some of the rest…that’d be my cue to either rework it completely or at least sink it into the mix a little more to let the other aspects of the song have a chance at playing the starring role. Because like…I mean…listen to the vocals in “Good To Be Free” for example – they’re fantastic! But they end up underneath this somewhat plodding guitar melody that’s guiding the song along, but honestly sounds like it’s also uncomfortable living in its own skin…and that’s something they might want to consider. Stuff like this ain’t usually too much of a concern when you haven’t displayed a significant standard, but that’s not the case here – Sun Uther Wahn stepped out of the gate sounding great and fully in charge of their destiny…”Good To Be Free” doesn’t seem to have that same level of confidence, and that should be a bit of a concern. We gotta hold them to the standards we know they’re capable of. This track is an oddity in the set…to the point where you’d wonder if it’s even played by the same band.
Case in-point, “Mule Groove #2” is a live jam & their exceptional musicianship & sonic experimentalism instantly starts to stand out for all the right reasons again. A little creative freedom can go a long, long way for some bands and artists out there, and it feels like “Mule Groove #2” is a stellar example of how that’s true. You don’t really get the opportunity to overthink things in a live jam, you just go with your natural instincts, and a tiny flaw here or there would be much more acceptable given the circumstances for how it gets recorded. Yet left to their own devices, Sun Uther Wahn is absolutely THRIVING & ALIVE in a setting like this…”Mule Groove #2” is nothing but interesting and engaging if you ask me. I get that it’s not going to be considered to be as accessible as a written song tends to be with a catchy vocal hook & chorus & all that…but make no mistake, there’s real value in unfiltered artistic creativity like this too. You can hear the FUN in playing a track like “Mule Groove #2” – and that brings its own level of appeal.
“Say It Today” has the kind of writing folks are much more familiar with, and leans much further on that Classic Rock vibe so many around the world know and love. I’d go as far as to say this track is pretty darn close to perfect…I’m not hearing anything I’d change in it personally. And is that like…wait a minute…is that a freakin’ KAZOO solo? When was the last time you heard one of those folks? We’ve got kids reading this right now taking a time out to Google what the heck a kazoo is, I guarantee it. I’d be willing to bet that’s what we’re hearing on “Say It Today” though, and yes, I STILL think it’s pretty much a perfect tune by design and the execution all-around. I feel like most people out there listening will dig the way the verses have this kind of loose, nearly glam-rock charm to them right off the bat – but if you’re listening to this song like I am, you’ll be outright amazed by the melodic vocal hooks of the chorus. That’s the real heart of why “Say It Today” works…this cut has the hooks you’d never throw away, and no matter what you gotta do, you find the path to build around them. So apparently, even if that means you haul out the kazoo to keep your experimental street-cred intact, then you do it! For real though – “Say It Today” is going to be a huge hit with fans of Sun Uther Wahn’s music and a universal highlight for people checking out this album…it’s a real bright spot in the lineup with irresistible hooks. Highly memorable and catchy…you’re singing along with this single-worthy tune right away…people will love what Sun Uther Wahn has goin’ on with “Say It Today” – it’s definitely one of the best in this lineup.
Credit where credit is due…not too many musicians and artists out there are as willing to try new things this far into a career, like Williams is at forty-plus years in. There’s a tremendous versatility to the set-list of Echos Edge, and regardless whether you feel like you like this song or that song better than the last, he and his crew of musical cohorts should be commended for their artistic courage. “White Rose” is a more traditional approach to like…I’d say probably like late-70s to mid-80s Rock…and I’m sure they’ll find enough people out there to appreciate that. It’s not my thing personally, but I can appreciate how it would be for others and I never hold our differences in taste against anyone out there. They’re playing it well, and that’s what matters most to me, always. I think they’ve still got room to bring the music up surrounding the vocals in my personal opinion…I feel like that would make the entire song sound as big as it probably should…but if this is how they want it to be, I’m not gonna push back too hard. I tend to throw my weight around more in advocating for tracks that have that undeniable single-worthy potential or creativity that would tend to go unnoticed otherwise…and I don’t really feel like “White Rose” quite meets that criteria for me. It’s a decent tune with a sound that’s been fairly mined & fully explored throughout the years, and there’s not a whole lot here that you wouldn’t expect to find. That don’t make it bad, but it could be a little less exciting in that regard I suppose. Again, I do feel like having the music come up to meet the level of the vocals would enhance the song’s strength & impact.
“Dance On The Water” would be another of the album’s best tunes, in my opinion. Sun Uther Wahn seems to tap into their best whenever they’re in a bit more of a Progressive or experimental dimension of their sound. In the case of “Dance On The Water,” they’re tapping into that stellar space-like terrain that you’d find in something like Pink Floyd, with a hint of the Blues in there from something you’d find closer to Gary Moore’s music…it makes for an impressive combination of hybrid sound & style however you might personally describe it. I’ll admit…I probably would have been plenty tempted to have left this one as an instrumental if I was Sun Uther Wahn…they had music that had no problem speaking on its own behalf in this track. So we have to look at it from a couple angles once they add the vocals to it – on one hand, they’re not necessarily hurting “Dance On The Water,” but on the other hand, I think there’s also an argument to be made that they’re not really adding to it either. From my own simplistic perspective, anytime you can’t be completely sure that something is adding to an experience, you have to at least ponder whether it would be taking something away…and I don’t know…that could be the case here for at least a few of us listening. I think it’s fair to say that the main hook of the title in this tune does work…but yeah…I dunno…at the same time, there’s a very large part of me that feels like they’d possibly have a stronger tune with “Dance On The Water” being strictly instrumental, or possibly just including things like the Spoken Word elements they go on to include inside its finale. I can hear the positives and negatives in each route they could have potentially taken with the direction of “Dance On The Water” and how there would be benefits in each that might detract from the other…so admittedly, they had to make some tougher calls in regards to this song. The quality in their execution is there, the musicianship is outstanding, and the vocals do fit too…I was just never completely convinced they were necessary or made “Dance On The Water” more engaging or entertaining than how it originally started.
It should be noted that I’m listening to Echos Edge on YouTube in advance of its release as I’ve somewhat pointed out already…but it’s weird…every time I push play, the aspect ratio of the video window changes on me, and I’ve never had that happen before! Or at least, not like this. If anything similar has happened in the past, the stuff inside the window would resize along with it, but this copy has graphics that seem to want to stay right in the place where they were. So like…when I get to titles that are a bit longer, and this video version has gone from its larger size to the smaller window it plays in, I end up having to guess a little bit. Like…I can see “The Man Who Did No W” as the tenth track – which I’d assume is “The Man Who Did No Wrong.” Nothing I can’t navigate of course, or fill in the blanks as I listen…but yeah…weird that in nearly 3500 reviews this hasn’t come up before. The hit counter hasn’t worked right either this past week while I’ve been listening, but it is what it is. Ever the student I am! Beyond that, I have no major opinions or feelings towards “The Man Who Did No Wrong” – I’m just shy of being a little indifferent about this final cut I’d reckon. Lyrically, I enjoy the fact that it tells a story of sorts…and I can appreciate the guitar riffin’ in the distance behind the vocals…and yeah – I guess that’s really about it for me personally. There’s a stylistic vibe and classic cool that runs through the veins of “The Man Who Did No Wrong” that I think fans of Rock will certainly appreciate…but it’s harder to necessarily argue that this last track is pushing the record further than where it’s already been, you know what I mean? It feels like this would have been a good track to include in that old-school way you’d find a hidden tune on a CD or a cassette…but as a main part of the lineup – as the finale – I’m not as convinced that “The Man Who Did No Wrong” leaves the impression they were looking for or induces that feeling of needing to repeat this experience as much as any artist or band would hope their last track would. I guess in a way, it sums up a lot of how I feel about Echos Edge on the whole – there are some extraordinary ideas presented along the way, but it’s a bit uneven when it comes right down to it. This will be the fourth album that Sun Uther Wahn has put out in just a bit over two years…and my gut tells me that there are points in this record that signal they should potentially slow down just a little bit, be as objective as possible, and make sure they’re getting their absolute best out there. There’s a great five or six song EP here without question…but at ten songs, they might have padded this lineup with a few tracks that don’t quite measure up to the best you’ll hear along the way…and if I’m noticing that, you can bet that I won’t be the only one that does. The good stuff on Echos Edge is great stuff – and when they’re all completely into it, they display remarkable musicianship, material and ideas combined; the more they focus in on all that, the better off they’ll be in the long run as they continue on from here.
Find out more about Sun Uther Wahn from this handy multi-link: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/sunutherwahn/echos-edge
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