It is clear from the opening note of "Phased," the first track on AAE's fourth full release Ultraviolet, that the band has decided to explore an entirely new sonic landscape. Phased guitars and muted overdubbed vocals help to create a dreamlike groove throughout the entire LP not unlike music created by shoegazers such as Slowdive, Lush and My Bloody Valentine.

It seems like only yesterday that AAE were producing beautiful folky tunes with sombre acoustic guitar lines. Thus, It is difficult to imagine that 75 percent of the band, Marty Willson-Piper of The Church replaced Tim Bricheno in 1991 who left to join The Sisters of Mercy, is still intact. However, Julianne Regan, who has one of the loveliest voices in rock today, is still crooning out the same type of etheral, abstract lyrics, albeit to a different groove provided by bassist Andy Cousin and drummer Mark Price as well as a different record label, MCA.

Yes, this release is bound to confuse the fans that enjoyed AAE for its older folk-gothic influence as well as those who enjoyed the straight ahead, consistent AOResque Touched by Jesus, AAE's last full lengther released last year. Nevertheless, the fans who also enjoy the shoegazers will be more than pleased with the direction AAE has taken as Ultraviolet, is far more exciting to listen to than either Lush's Spooky or MBV's Loveless. Besides "Phased," other tracks such as "Things He Told Her," "Yesterday Goodbye," "Blindfolded Visionary," and "Some Finer Day" all have wondrous hooks and melodies. "Some Finer Day" is the strongest track as its sombre beginnings give way to an upbeat major scale chorus, "Some finer day, say things go my way....." Blindfolded Visionary's lyrics are both intriguing and obscure ...

"Cut my hair with a kitchen knife, he was a blindfolded visionary.......Chemicals and conversation, speeding train without a station.....Feeling for the switch to turn his lights out."

Although AAE's direction is adventurous, Ultraviolet as a whole is not nearly as consistent as Touched by Jesus, the band's first with Willson-Piper. The slower songs such as "Mine, "I Don't Know," and "Freeze" lack the hooks and melodies the other tracks possess. In addition, Regan's voice is unable to carry these songs as it is buried behind the multiple sonic layers. When AAE slowed it down on TBJ with tracks such as "Rhythm of Life" and "Are You Lonely," the change of pace worked to perfection as Regan's earthy yet exquisite voice was allowed to shine.

Before now, All About Eve always seemed to be a few years behind the musical times. Ultraviolet has closed the gap between the rest of the musical universe and AAE.