{"title":"Signed Unknown Mortal Orchestra","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"unknown-mortal-orchestra-ii-10th-anniversary-edition-2xlp","title":"Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'II (10th Anniversary Edition)' 2xLP (*SIGNED*) (*ONE PERSON*)","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e*SIGNED BY RUBAN*\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnknown Mortal Orchestra came to life in basements and bedrooms, the musical vision of Portlander-via-New Zealand Ruban Nielson that fused guitar-god riffs, choppy percussion, soul and funk. II, the sophomore album from UMO, emerged in an era rampant hedonism and isolationism and became the blueprint for everything Nielson has become renowned for. It was, and is, the solidification of Unknown Mortal Orchestra as an endlessly intriguing, brave and addictive band. Ten years on, it’s back with an expanded edition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWritten during a punishing, debauched touring schedule during which Nielson feared for both his sanity and health, II illustrates the emotional turmoil of life on the road, painting surrealist, cartoonish portraits of loneliness, love and despair. These conflicting themes are evident immediately; on the album’s sleeve is an unnerving image of Janet Farrar, the famous British witch, Wiccan, author and teacher of witchcraft. The chilling refrain of opener “Into The Sun” sees Nielson deliver the line “Isolation can put a gun in your hand,” softly, his words starkly intelligible above a warm, slow-burning melody that quickly brands itself onto your brain. His playful imagery (“I’m so lonely I’ve gotta eat my popcorn all alone”) mirrors the melody, before a solo that borders on psychotropic ends II‘s introduction. UMO is unafraid to dig deeper than the rest, their intoxicating, opiate groove bringing rock’n’roll’s exaggerated myths to life. And as it unfolds, II does find Nielson reenergized. “One At A Time” and “Faded In The Morning” boast dizzying choruses and instrumentals; these crusty hunks could have been excavated from a lost 1960s treasure trove. “Monki” unravels over seven minutes like the yarn from a stoner’s cardigan with an eye-frying pattern. “Dawn” is a minute of disconcerting noise that stands out between the nooks and crannies of the choruses, guitar solos, groove-heavy bass and drums that were recorded live by newly-recruited drummer Greg Rogove and Kody Nielson in a move away from the electronic percussion employed on album one. II closes with “Secret Xtians,” a tender observational puzzle that fizzes to a satisfied end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIn celebration of the album’s 10th anniversary Nielson’s complete collection from the II era is finally available in one compilation, and features the five acoustic tracks from the Blue EP as well as two additional B-sides. Unknown Mortal Orchestra was once Nielson’s closeted concern. With an album that uses his singular musical imagination and extraordinary talent to parade his emotions with unyielding honesty, it is now a fully realized band operating at the peak of its powers ten years on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCatalogue number: JAG232dlx\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: New\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabel: Jagjaguwar\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"PIAS \/ Cinram","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45020324561064,"sku":"JAG232dlx","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/6872\/files\/jag232.umo.ii.10.anniversary.lp.mock.jpg?v=1695128748"},{"product_id":"unknown-mortal-orchestra-v-2xlp-signed","title":"Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'V' 2xLP (*SIGNED*) (*ONE PERSON*)","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e*SIGNED BY RUBAN*\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreated between Palm Springs, California and Hilo, Hawai’i, \u003ci\u003eV\u003c\/i\u003e is the first double album from the Hawaiian-New Zealand singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Ruban Nielson’s Unknown Mortal Orchestra band. Designed to play as one continuous movement and road-tested on dry California freeways, \u003ci\u003eV\u003c\/i\u003e is the definitive Unknown Mortal Orchestra car record. It’s also the fifth full-length album Ruban has released in twelve years. Across fourteen sunbleached songs - written solo or with his brother Kody - Ruban draws from the rich traditions of West Coast AOR, yacht rock, weirdo pop and Hawaiian Hapa-haole music. Over a laidback blend of singalong anthems and cinematic instrumentals, he evokes blue skies, afternoons spent lounging by hotel swimming pools and the alluring darkness that lurks below perfect, pristine surfaces. It’s a duality expressed in the dilapidated sunset blues and the salt-corroded soul Ruban explores through tracks like ‘Layla’ and ‘Nadja. ’ \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the pandemic’s early days, Ruban reunited with Kody at a cousin’s wedding in Hawai’i. With assistance from their father, Chris Nielson (saxophone\/flute) and longstanding Unknown Mortal Orchestra member Jake Portrait, they brought everything Ruban had been thinking about together. When they talked about records that moved them in that spine-shivering manner, Ruban started thinking about the 70s AM radio rock and 80s pop songs that had lurked on the edge of his subconscious mind for most of his life. He wanted to write his version of records like that, leading to the two glorious uptempo singles Unknown Mortal Orchestra released in 2021, ‘Weekend Run’ and ‘That Life’. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, the golden good times never last forever. Not long after, health issues began to plague his extended family.Putting his recordings aside, he helped his mother and his uncle move home from New Zealand and Portland to Hawai’i, and began dividing his time between Hawai’i and Palm Springs. During this period he reconnected with his relatives, reassessed his past, and started to look at things with fresh eyes. Hawai’i brought back memories of the darker side of his parents’ lifestyle as entertainers. On those trips, he heard those classic AM radio rock records everywhere. They were inextricably intertwined with the palm trees, swimming pools, and glamorized hedonism he’d internalized from his childhood. There’s a type of music in Hawai’i called Hapa-haole (Half white). You can hear it expressed in signature Unknown Mortal Orchestra style through the humid guitar-led atmosphere of V’s penultimate song, ‘I Killed Captain Cook’. Although the songs are presented in a traditional Hawaiian manner, they’re mostly sung in English. Having been influenced by Hawaiian music since Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s first album, Ruban saw a space for himself within the tradition. When he reflected on his success, he realised he had the responsibility and platform to represent Hapa-haole music on the global stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: New\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabel: Jagjaguwar\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"PIAS \/ Cinram","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57689793429891,"sku":null,"price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/6872\/files\/Screenshot2026-03-28at20.05.42.png?v=1774728409"},{"product_id":"unknown-mortal-orchestra-ii-lp-signed","title":"Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'II' LP (*SIGNED*) (*ONE PERSON*)","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSIGNED BY RUBAN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClear with white swirl vinyl\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eUnknown Mortal Orchestra \u003ci\u003eII \u003c\/i\u003eis the follow up to 2011's esteemed debut. Think Pink Floyd, the Family Stone, the Beatles and Soft Machine shaken up and pushed through Ruban's distorted rock'n'roll kaleidoscope. \u003ci\u003eII\u003c\/i\u003e came to be during ruban's long inhabitance of the perils intense touring often encapsulate. Themes of loneliness, love and despair surface on the record, giving listeners a special lens to life on the road.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: New\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabel: Jagjaguwar\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"PIAS \/ Cinram","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57689844842883,"sku":null,"price":25.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/6872\/files\/Screenshot2026-03-28at20.08.39.png?v=1774728644"},{"product_id":"unknown-mortal-orchestra-blue-record-12-signed","title":"Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'Blue Record' 12\" (*SIGNED*) (*ONE PERSON*)","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e*SIGNED BY RUBAN*\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSingle sided black vinyl 12”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e The 'Blue Record' is a 5 track acoustic mini album expanding on 'II' and including a cover of Dirty Projectors' 'Swing Lo Magellan' and Beck's 'Puttin' It Down' . Everything was recorded straight to tape in a basement with a one mic set up.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: New\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabel: Jagjaguwar\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"PIAS \/ Cinram","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57689868403075,"sku":null,"price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/6872\/files\/Screenshot2026-03-28at20.13.42.png?v=1774728870"},{"product_id":"unknown-mortal-orchestra-umo-lp-signed","title":"Unknown Mortal Orchestra 'Unknown Mortal Orchestra' LP (*SIGNED*) (*ONE PERSON*)","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e*SIGNED BY RUBAN*\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eUnknown Mortal Orchestra was conceived as a home recording project by Ruban Nielson after spending years playing and touring in an award-winning New Zealand punk band (on the legendary Flying Nun label). The band broke up after re-locating to Portland, or and Ruban was ready to move away from his nomadic past. His recordings as Unknown Mortal Orchestra, mainly created for his personal amusement, have now taken on a life of their own. Ruban's vision of creating 'junkshop record collector pop' culminated in the creation of sprawling Beatles-esque guitar melodies over hammered out break-beats, spliced with an individual touch of gentle weirdness. The results deliver a surprisingly unified fusion of several influential elements - classic psychedelic rock, Krautrock rhythms and proto-hip hop beats - all interacting to create a cohesive album. Though the songs were never intended to be performed live, the last six months has seen the project gather pace behind a wave of critical acclaim. A sold-out limited edition EP lead Ruban to construct a live band consisting of skilled producer Jake Portrait on bass and a brilliant teenage drummer named Julien Ehrlich.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCondition: New\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabel: Fat Possum\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Orchard","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57689871024515,"sku":null,"price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0932\/6872\/files\/Screenshot2026-03-28at20.15.26.png?v=1774729064"}],"url":"https:\/\/beartreerecords.com\/collections\/signed-umo.oembed","provider":"Bear Tree Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}