Cassette Review: URSULA "demos" (OJC Recordings)

[$3 // Edition of 30 // https://alligatorpeaches.bandcamp.com/album/demos]

What I like about OJC Recordings is that they can send me Ugly Indian and URSULA together and yet they sound completely different.    The demos on this cassette by URSULA (who is the villainness in "The Little Mermaid", obvs) are heavily fuzz laced punk rock anthems that are equal parts Yoko Ono (Yes, her music is good, look it up) and "Bleach" era Nirvana.

I suppose it is only because this is titled "demos" but the second to last track on Side A is a lot of talking and though it sounds like she is talking to someone else only one voice is heard.     From leaving the message that they're going out to get french fries or bananas to outright blaming me for Papa GIno's, there is discussion of what song to play next as well as a lot of laughing.

Side Note: There used to be a Papa Gino's within walking distance of where I live right now, but back when it was actually there I lived two towns over.   I don't know what was in there right after it went away or if anything else had been in there in between but right now it's a Boston Market.    I once had my birthday party there and they took me in the back to make my own pizza.   I was probably, like, ten years old.    Might be why they aren't there any more.

While there are six tracks listed for Side A there is but one single track listed for Side B.    I was wondering why the songs wouldn't be more evenly distributed until I listened to it.   There is this drum machine electronic vibe going in a constant loop with only three different things being said: "URSULA", "gettin' my hair did" and the title of the track "hair $alon".     While it does seem to go on for a while it's also a lot of fun so just sit back and enjoy it.

These songs have the quality of a demo which is implied by their title but in some ways they remind me of when Nirvana had the "With the Lights Out" boxed set released which a bunch of demos and other songs.    (You know the one, the one with "You Know You're Right")

The thing is, this was my introduction to URSULA rather than something I'm hearing years after the main creative force behind the band is dead.   Given this age of technology I feel like Nirvana would have had their demos out there prior to even "Nevermind" being released and so we would have heard them before Cobain died.    For those like me, though, who like to hear things in the proper time table (some times) then this is perfect for you.