Continuing in the trend of its previous two albums "Meant To Be Mint" and "From The Mint Factory," Mint Condition delivers yet another impressively, well-constructed album to its music audience. On its current album, "Definition Of A Band," the group does everything from song writing and producing to playing its own instruments in creating this musical masterpiece.
One of the most appealing things about this 18-track CD is that it provides listeners with a taste of the band's diversity and originality. Whether you're into R&B, jazz, funk or rock, this album has something to offer everyone.
"You Don't Have To Hurt No More," "On & On" and "The Never That You'll Never Know," a few of the more laidback songs on the album, emphasize the positive and romantic side of love and relationships.
In complete contrast, "Sometimes," a more rock-inspired tune, deals with the confusion that can sometimes enter a relationship. On the more serious tip, "Missing" focuses on the troubling problem of child abduction plaguing our society today. The band members draw on their various tastes and skills to blend together a different style of music, which definitely works on this album.
Although the members of Mint Condition pride themselves on being musicians, the vocal talent they display is not to be overlooked. Headed by lead vocalist Stokely, the band shows much vocal skill on songs like "Gettin' It On," "Let Me Be The One" and "Ain't Hookin' Me Up Enough."
With "Definition Of A Band," Mint Condition sets out to define what good music is all about and definitely delivers. Between the talented song writing, solid vocals and skillfully played music, the band comes up big.
- Jessica Simmons
The fact that Aunt Bettys has a record contract symbolizes everything that is wrong and aggravating about the music industry today. It reveals once again the all-too-common practice of record company weasels making it their passion to push absolute rubbish just to fit into a certain demographic. How anyone can stand to listen to the Orange County quartet's eponymous debut release is simply beyond me, and anyone who can stomach this material deserves a special prize; I suggest a sharp blow to the head.
"Aunt Bettys" falters from the get go, and gets worse as it progresses. The record is essentially a boring onslaught of lazy acoustic guitar, made all the worse by monotonous bass, dull drumming and discordant electronic textures. The pieces approach classic hard rock, bordering on the punk side of alternative with overly raspy vocals somewhere (seemingly intentionally) between Tom Petty and Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan.
The opening track, "Jesus," combines an uninspiring acoustic intro with gunfire guitar, screeching vocals and rapid drumming, all of which amount to absolutely nothing but a thoroughly pathetic and annoying display of noise. Singer / songwriter Michael Knott, a former long-time solo Christian Rock artist, has now seemingly turned grunge and his miserable attempt at a melody on this dismal opener does nothing to set this new invention off on the right foot. Nor do his lyrics: "I'm getting screwed, I'm getting used / I'm getting kicked, I'm getting tricked." Well, at least Knott shows that he can rival the rhyming ability of the average second grader.
Unfortunately there are 15 other songs on the album left to endure, all equally as dreadful, if not worse, than the first. "Lush" begins with a lackluster riff and is soon drenched by Knott's wannabe Dylan-esque story-telling. As you might guess, however, the song's message is just as overwhelmingly boring as the music itself.
Nobody cares about some psychotic nymphomaniac who is covered in tattoos from head to toe, or about the fighting couple in "Feel," about the abusive, drunk, old man who is the subject of "Suicide Sex Doll." The same repetitive type of songs fall in line one by one as the record painfully proceeds.
If on the off chance that there is a second album from the illustrious Aunt Bettys, (and for the sake of anyone born with ears, I certainly hope there is not), perhaps Knott will climb out of his cave and realize that bad songs saturated with the bone-dry sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll motif are not going to do wonders for his already talentless band.
- Brian Cohen
The current crop of Welsh rock bands like Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Catatonia, 60 Ft. Dolls and Super Furry Animals has sprung up as quickly as a bunch of hallucinogenic mushrooms and with results that are almost as trippy.The Furries, in particular, purvey a psychedelic punkish pop that's so deliciously bizarre that it makes critics on both sides of the Atlantic rave - an unusual feat.
But the critical praise for "Fuzzy Logic" is certainly the least unusual thing about it.From the band's innovative sonic blend to their lyrical subject matter (alien abductions, video games and drug runners), it's clear that Super Furry Animals view things with a different perspective than most other rock bands.
They are a group, however, that started out as a techno outfit - and insist they still are, though their sweet harmonies and wah-wah guitars sound more like Oasis played backwards than house or jungle. However, they choose to classify their music. Singles like "God! Show Me Magic," "Something For the Weekend" and especially "Hometown Unicorn" demand to be listened to; rarely is a band so creative and catchy.
While most of "Fuzzy Logic" consists of fast-paced rockers like the singles, hazy ballads like "Gathering Moss" and "Long Gone" show off the Furries' versatility. The bouncy pop of "Bad Behaviour," "Frisbee," "For Now and Ever" and the group's homage to drug runner, master of disguises and album coverboy "Howard Marks" fill out "Fuzzy Logic"'s 12-song assault on conventional rock.
Like fuzzy logic itself, Super Furry Animals might not be easily explained, but they are well worth trying to understand.
- Heather Phares
These funky guys are Mint Condition.