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album reviews

Soundtrack Mind

Plastic Dreams 6
It's Just Right / Town / Really Want / Clean My Name / Goodbye / Would You Believe / If The World Falls / Can't Buy / Hold Me / Lonely Tonight

There was a Scottish band called Del Amitri that many of my readers won't be familiar with, but some of you maybe familiar with a few of their songs. They weren't a great band by any means - deeply uncool, but they had a clutch of fine songs. The opening song here reminds me of Del Amitri vocally, but far surpasses them musically - crunching guitars and a fresh lo-fi feel. I should write something here about the why and wherefore of how I came to acquire this album. I was contacted by a member of the band, and they were kind enough to send me an advance copy of this album. A handy print-out I've got lists a few pieces of info, such as the fact that 'Flagpole Magazine' hailed Soundtrack Mind as "Athens Best Pop Band", which is nice to know! Influences listed on the same information sheet i've got right here in front of me list Gram Parsons, The Jayhawaks, Satchel, Tori Amos and Paul McCartney. Now, let's delve into those. I can hear the first two, second song 'Town' is a neat little country rocker - so that's fine. 'Satchel'? I'm not familiar with them. Paul McCartney? Nah, never heard OF HIM! - a little fact of the simple melodies, nice catchy melodies present throughout may explain that one away. Tori Amos? Now, I adore Tori, but I can't hear that influence here at all. I guess they like her, and that's more than fine by me!

The slightly distorted, energetic and rather impressive guitar work that was a feature of the opening song returns for 'Really Want', and much like the album as a whole, it grows on me. The melodies are here, the vocals aren't always smooth or accomplished, not always impressive but the music nearly always impresses to some degree, and besides. The vocals are fine, a mile away from being 'bad', just not soaring and swooning...... but this chorus slamming into my face all through 'Really Want' sounds damn fine to me. Neat catchy guitar lines are a feature of 'Clean My Name', the five minute long 'Goodbye' is mid-tempo, a pop ballad but it drags a little for me. A couple of energetic country tinged rockers follow with 'If The World Falls' having a chorus to enjoy in particular. 'Can't Buy' is a ballad and a damn fine one, the vocals sound good all through this song and the lyrics are accomplished. 'Lonely Tonight' closes this modest, enjoyable and able to get subtly under your skin set of songs with great country picking and nice harmony vocals. A good song, a good album. Contact Shut Eye Records or visit the bands own site for further information.