Ugly Casanova - Sharpen Your Teeth (Album Review)

 

Ugly Casanova - Sharpen Your Teeth

(2002)

My copy: 2015 press by Sub Pop.

Ugly Casanova was a vehicle for Isaac Brock, most known for his role in Modest Mouse, to release a series of new songs in collaboration with several friends from other bands. Sharpen Your Teeth is their only offering, but its work stands out for its usage of both stripped-down, indie-folk methods and rich psychedelic layering. 

Reversed melodies are used frequently, such as in the beginning to “Barnacles,” a straightforward opening track that implants the emotionally raw tone of the record. Drum tracks boom under acoustic guitar licks and layered vocals - electric guitars are used mostly as chopped up accents with drunken, swaying feedback. “Spilled Milk Factory” is an eccentric Tom Waits-ian blues piece with gargled bass, clattered organic percussion and quiet horns (likely midi). Brock’s lyrical aggression is drawn out more on “Parasites” which is an old Modest Mouse demo that’s been upgraded for this release. 

While the guitars themselves are much less distorted and important than any Modest Mouse record, the layering of sound effects and strange vocal harmonies make this one of Brock’s most ambitious releases, also in thanks to the contrasting soft voice of John Orth (Holopaw) who accompanies Brock on several tracks. “Hotcha Girls” is just that: a serene folk ballad that makes excellent use of Orth’s more traditional singing voice. The songwriting is often simple but uses clever anticipatory pauses in addition to layering to create dynamic compositions. An anxious chord progression makes up the spiritual march of “Diamonds On The Face Of Evil” which combines stomping chain sounds with jazzy woodwinds. “Cat Faces” is another indie-folk/country tune with a focus on Brock’s working-class-meets-existentialist lyrics. “Ice On The Sheets” almost delves into dub with its funky bass grooves and syncopated guitars - going as far as including Brock essentially rapping his lyrics under distortion. 

Continuing their tour through strange genre combos, “Beesting” is a sea-shanty for acid heads. The dejected mood and clanging percussion of “Pacifico” is exactly the kind of music Brock should be marrying his lyrics to while “Smoke Like Ribbons” dots folk-guitar with theremin swells. The vocals on “Things I Don’t Remember” are a bit obvious, but the music bubbles into an impressive crescendo before releasing to a wacked-out quartett of voices. While the record has mostly been about experimenting, “So Long To The Holidays” sets wistful vocal harmonies to warm, fuzzy drones, soft keys and feedback - with a lush production that puts some of the best Modest Mouse songs to utter shame. 

Four bonus tracks are included in the vinyl release, from yet another old Isaac Brock demo in “Babies Clean Conscious,” to howled folk sing-along “Roads To Go To Roads To Go To…” Sharpen Your Teeth borders on mysterious, from Brock’s fabricated backstory involving a meek old man who would hang around Modest Mouse shows to the wide berth of genres it collects. If this is what happens when Isaac Brock reaches out and experiments with others, then please may he return to this style of creativity - but then again, maybe it’s best that the Ugly Casanova name be left untarnished.