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Album Details
- Artist: Mini Mansions
- Album: Mini Mansions
- Label: Rekords Rekords / Ipecac Recordings
- Year of Release: 2010
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: carlito on 2010-11-06
RecommendIt's not a difficult thing to describe the sound of Mini Mansions. They are like a hybrid of The Beatles and Monsters of Folk: psychedelic, alternative, electronic, indie-all at the same time. And yet it isn't as simple as that, is it? They have their own signature flavor peppered with electric guitars, buzzing synths, deep driving bass lines, pounding live drums (or sometimes simple muffled drum programming), ethereal vocals with just the right amount of reverb applied, not to mention excellent musicianship and writing. MM is a three-man band made up of Zach Dawes, Tyler Parkford, and Michael Shuman (from Queens of the Stone Age).
Their self-titled debut album reminds everybody that once upon a time rock music was a much freer form of expression than what the current mandates of industry pressure--in the name of selling records and getting on the radio--has made it to be. No songs made with cookie cutters on this one. And yet, all this being said, you don't get a "throwback" vibe when listening, but rather a refreshing feeling of relief that something great has finally come along.
"Monk" is a track choc full of soul and energy. One of the things I appreciate the most about their sound is the low end. MM does not shy away from letting you feel the bass. This song-as many of the others-have plenty of changes to keep things interesting. And though it's only for a second, I love the sudden screaming towards the very end. Nice touch.
Then there's "Kiddie Hypnogogia" which starts out like a beautiful piano ballad. However, the jig is up around forty seconds in when the drums start kicking, smoothing the way for the enormous wall of sound that floods your ears during the chorus. A similar onslaught of sound is applied at around 2:35 on "Majik Marker", right after you hear the words "Don't tell your mother."
My favorite song is "Thriller Escapade." Again, they juxtapose a soft opening verse with a head-banging chorus. The trick is to have all the wonderful instruments lay dormant as the listener is drawn into the lyrics, then drop a bomb on their heads. And you know what, it works every time. I love it.
To sum up, this is one of the most innovative and creative rock albums I've heard all year, and the year is almost over. It's the kind of music both you and your ex-hippie dad will enjoy--at least, I know mine will. MM's self-titled debut album is an achievement worthy of praise.
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on 2010-11-07 iamparadox Said:
2010 has been a whirlwind year and is winding down even faster than it began. The holiday season is almost upon us, not improving much if anything. Of course this signals that there will also be massive music releases from the majority of labels and artists. One potential gem that could get overlooked is the brand new, self-titled release of Mini Mansions. Lucky for us, this is how Queens of the Stone Age bass player Michael Shuman spends his spare time.
Drawing obvious comparisons to The Beatles is about the only agreement that can be made when trying to describe their sound. While many have said the band sounds like Fountains of Wayne, it seems they have more in common with The Young Veins. Of course, one could also claim to hear some other influences at work here, like TV on the Radio and The Klaxons. Yes, this is what a 21st century acid trip sounds like. To quote from their own words, "if pure sound had the capability to project images on a blank wall, Mini Mansions would be worthy projectionists." This quote is great because Mini Mansions not only have a Beatlesque vibe, but also evoke the visual eye candy made infamous by Pink Floyd. The entire recording begs the question: what would this sound like live?!
The album begins with "Vignette #1" which sets the tone for the entire record. It's suddenly and instantly mysterious, spacey, and grabs your attention like an intense movie trailer making you wonder what could possibly come next. Yet at the same time it doesn't totally convince you in the 90 seconds how the rest of it will turn out. The 2nd track is "The Room Outside", and is a brilliant transition. An abstract contrast between both darkness and light, it's one of those songs that sounds both new and familiar. Maybe it's a sign from the universe that the song lasts for 4:20. The tune takes a crazy turn towards the end, with all sorts of noise and fury exploding everywhere. "Crime Of The Season" has great harmonies melodies and has many layers, sharing that similarity with most of these tracks. "Wunderbars" is spooky, creepy, and haunting--perhaps the reason it's release was scheduled so close to Halloween. "Majik Marker" is another paradox, and another must listen to.
The project used three songs (vignettes, technically speaking) as a jumping off point to create the record. Although not in sequential order, when listening to all 3 vignettes together back to back you can sense how the entire recording was built off of them. To quote the band again: "Although Mini Mansions intention was not to position the record as a concept album, Dawes believes the work amasses to more than just a couple of songs you can get on iTunes. There are a lot of different spaces that we like to explore. For us, it's basically about letting the songs take you and seeing where you can go with them. This record will be a welcome surprise to most.
So ready or not, the holiday season is here. So as you begin to shop and think about the gifts you would like to receive, the perfect gift sometimes seems ever elusive. It could be the greatest holiday ever if more artists and labels would be willing to take a risk like this. There are more than enough Swifts, Biebers, and Waynes in the world.
Not Rated
