A new direction
Khyron | 11/01/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is MP's dark symphony. Over 70 minutes of brooding disquiet that is a departure from their earlier, "lighter" work and a sign of things to come in the two live albums that would be released inbetween this record and "How to make a living". While MP was never an upbeat alternative group along the lines of Blind Melon or Sublime this album makes the two that came before it sound gleeful in comparison.
Jon and Steve explore their abilities to harmonize and Jon is even given the helm on a few of the tracks, a welcome break from the ordinary. The album is very well mixed and nothing feels out of place, though production value is noticably absent on tracks like "Beautiful" where Steve's voice is lost but not in that good way that Michael Stype and Peter Gabriel have mastered. In all reality, the record is crying out to be remastered.
But don't let that deter you. And don't let me lead you to beleive that this album is an antidote for depression medication. Like a cloudy day, there are spots of light to guide you through. Jon's voice is light and creates a nice dichotomy with the dark instrumentation; it's the same concept as The Smiths record "The Queen is Dead" only in reverse.
Some of the best songs this band ever recorded appear on this record. Jimmy Parker, Useless, Naked and Brother are all outstanding. Reconciliation is nothing short of phenominal and it is a genuine shame that this band has flown under the radar for well over 10 years; they deserve more and songs like Reconciliation drive that point home.
If you own no MP CDs don't start with this one. Pick up either BOHICA or Prefables first as they'll give you a proper basis of comparison. Look VERY hard for the tape only release of their live show from CT... it's not titled and has been out of print for ages but it's stellar!
"