The Riff’s May Album Discussion: The ABC’s Of Sundara Karma’s ‘Ulfilas’ Alphabet’
Writers and readers of The Riff: after a month-and-a-half’s long mulling of which album to present for May, the wait is finally over!
This month’s discussion, taking place on May 28, will revolve around Brit-rock four-piece Sundara Karma and their critically acclaimed (but still underrated!) 2019 sophomore record Ulfilas’ Alphabet.
The name Sundara Karma may ring a bell to some, be it through the indie scene and their debut album making waves on the alternative charts a few years back or possibly through reading my work as I did a small profile on them back in March as part of my ‘Songs of Spring’ vignette.
For anyone unfamiliar, not to worry. Sundara Karma (or “beautiful karma,” in Sanskrit) is Oscar Pollock, Haydn Evans, Ally Baty, and Dom Cordell, all hailing from Reading, England. The four-piece burst onto the scene in 2017 with their debut record, Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect. It combined the rock-infused- power-pop elements of predecessors The Kooks and Kasabian with the melancholy of The Smiths and The Cure.
Their lyrics revolved around the trials of young love, heartbreak, and coming-of-age but with a graceful inclusion of historical references — ranging from painting titles to Greek bishops — lyrically throughout their discography. YIOEFIR faired well for a debut, peaking at 24 on the UK alternative charts and earning a Silver certification that same year for record sales. British music publication Gigwise named it one of the Best 51 Albums of 2017.
Their follow-up and our focus this month, 2019’s Ulfilas’ Alphabet, took the band sonically and lyrically in a completely different direction, a risky but ultimately rewarding experience artistically. UA blends elements of psychedelic rock, anthemic glam rock, and modern alternative, reminiscent of David Bowie’s Space Oddity, Foster The People’s Supermodel, Kaiser Chiefs’ Yours Truly, Angry Mob, and The Cribs’ Ignore The Ignorant. Lyrically, the band shifted from adolescent coming-of-age to ideas of existentialism, awakening, spirituality, and quarter-life crises.
The record’s title takes its name from Greek bishop and missionary Ulfilas, best known for creating the Gothic alphabet, and is attributed (though it’s been disputed) to translating the Bible into said alphabet.
In the spirit of linguistics, I thought of three alphabetical adjectives to describe the album best, as follows:
Amaranthine.* Boundless. Cutting-edge.
*Amaranthine (am-ehr-anne-theen) - root word is derived from the plant of the same name, and as a noun describes a pinkish-red color, but as an adjective means “eternally beautiful and unfading. Everlasting, immortal.”
I couldn’t have described this album better. It’s as nostalgic as it is modern, as universal as it is personal. It’s historical and simultaneously futuristic. I believe it has aged well but felt equally as poignant on the day of its release.
Some introductory singles right off the bat, and some of my personal favorites from the record:
1. A Song For My Future Self
2. Greenhands
3. Home (There Was Never Any Reason To Feel So Alone)
I’m beyond excited to share the remainder of the album with everyone at the discussion, but for those who can’t make it, hopefully, it can make an impact here as well!
There’s no pressure at all to join, but if you enjoyed — or even have a critique of — the album, feel free to join Riff regulars on May 28 at 4 PM EDT on Zoom, where I’ll be hosting and a bunch of writers across The Riff and other Medium publications. We’ll be gathered to share our ideas and love of music. The Zoom link and password for entry are provided below, and we hope to see you there!
There’s also no requirement if you join to keep cameras on or even say anything — if you want just to come and listen, that’s completely okay! All are welcome in any capacity that’s comfortable for you.
LISTEN TO ‘ULFILAS’ ALPHABET’ HERE:
ZOOM LINK:
ID: 83944552616
Passcode: Kk80j^%W
