Uncle Jemima pours it on thick

Over the last few years, a once dismal rock music scene on Duke’s campus has begun to come into its own. Student bands regularly play at large campus events, and the introduction of campus music attractions such as the ’Dillo Concert Series and the Duke/UNC Battle of the Bands has created a fresh, rock music culture at Duke.

Front and center in this movement stands the four-piece Uncle Jemima. Composed of a group of seniors who met their freshman year, Jemima has become a staple at campus events, from K-ville to quad parties. Unlike most college bands, Jemima is not simply a group of jam-happy freestylers or cover-happy wannabes. Rather, this fall saw the release of the band’s first album of completely original material, Radiation.

“We’ve always known this is where we wanted to go,” says guitarist Yaw Nyame. When Nyame met singer Stuart Pierce and drummer Dan Avissar in their freshman dorm, a friendship immediately sprang out of their common interest: listening to and playing rock music. Although their musical backgrounds and tastes were different, the three began practicing together. Soon after, bassist Chris Manz joined the group, and Uncle Jemima was born. Practicing at Avissar’s parents’ house on the weekends, the group eventually developed their own songs and sound. Radiation is the culmination of over three years of work and features four friends playing together. The results are impressive.

“Part of the challenge in doing this album was keeping the level of energy we have in our live shows,” says Avissar, who did most of the album’s production. Jemima prides itself on high-octane live shows, keeping the audience moving. “My goal has always been to write a song, go perform it and just see a whole group of people singing along and going nuts,” Nyame says. As the name of their album implies, Radiation is pure energy focused into eight tracks.

The album runs the entire range of the band’s influences, forming a style that is distinctly heavy and funky at the same time. “We really don’t listen to much of the same music. I’m into the funk, like Tower of Power, while Stuart is straight metal at times,” Nyame says. And so the album is equal parts funk, metal and grunge.

The opening track, “Dice,” features a Zeppelin-esque riff that fuels the song. It’s an appropriate introduction to Radiation as the track is heavy on the funk and establishes a driving tempo that bleeds into the rest of the album. It’s a sign of what’s to come: head-bobbing rock music.

Next, “# One” picks up where the first track leaves off, with an intricate guitar refrain and “multiple acts of screaming” by Mike Sacks, Trinity ’04. “Step Out” is one of the album’s highlights—a surprisingly chilled song with layered vocals and impressive production. The album ends with “Proximity to the Sun,” a piece that slowly meanders through Pierce’s vocals, building to the final climax of the album. Overall, Radiation succeeds in harnessing the energy of the live band, while still retaining great production quality and focus.

Right now, Jemima is working on their follow-up album, which they plan to release next semester. You can catch Uncle Jemima Saturday at the ’Dillo, and everyone should come out to witness them rock out against UNC acts at the Battle of the Bands Nov. 19. Jemima’s schedule can be found at www.unclejemima.com, and you can pick up Radiation at one of their shows or at their website. It will rock your face off.