Search - Minders :: Down in Fall

Solid stopgap effort from master popsters

G. Nichols | Boulder, CO United States | 10/05/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Following up the uncanny consistency of their last full-length album, "Hooray For Tuesday," with this abbreviated collection of tunes, Portland's The Minders prove once again that they can't pen a bad song. Although the 60s pop influences of that last standout album aren't as readily in evidence here, that doesn't mean Martin Leaper's classic pop vocals, and his cohorts' playing, is any less terrific. Perhaps a bit more downbeat than their previous work, the overall tone of these five songs is in keeping with the ep's title, capturing the melancholy changing of the seasons quite nicely. Better yet for computer geeks, there are are several videos available on this enhanced disc, an experiment that might have been regarded as masturbatory if not for the utterly disarming way in which this lot reveals their love for the craft. That said, this is a quite solid offering, and here's hoping their next complete album, due in early 2001, captures a broader range of emotion - 60s influences or not."

They're young and with it

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 12/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Minders are pretty good at what they do -- churning out upbeat, charming pop tunes with an electronic edge. This Elephant 6 band strings together five utterly different songs into "Down in Fall," a good sample of what the Minders can create. It's short, but somehow fulfilling.



It kicks off with the poppy, bubbly "Young and With It," followed by the slithering, subtle urgency of "On and On." A solemn intonation ushers in a wave of electronic flittering, followed by the grimly catchy piano melody of "Time Machines"; the counterbalance is the offbeat "Lonelinest of Faces," which sounds like a cheerful pub song by a bunch of half-drunk pals. Finally a gentle acoustic guitar ushers in "Helen."



This is probably the best display of just what the Minders can do. The indiepop music included here is experimental, perky, moody, dark, spiky, eerie and mellow -- and everything they try is pretty much successful. Certainly there are no substantial flub-ups.



Solid guitar melodies drive the first and last songs, backed up by a bit of ripply keyboard in "Young and With It." It turns a pretty standard guitar pop song into a more fun, slightly electrofunky one. There's also a bit of flute on the second song, although you have to liften carefully to hear it. And the keyboard goes into the stratosphere with "Time Machine," with that dark, loungey piano melody.



Martin Leaper has a pretty pleasant pop voice, especially in the more downbeat songs like "Helen." And the Minders churn out some pretty fun indiepop lyrics, reflecting on the changing seasons, the "young and with-it," and a bit of love as well ("I'll meet you at the garden gate"). They're not excellent, but the songs are definitely above average.



The Minders turn out an excellent EP in "Down in Fall" -- a good collection for fans, and an even better introduction for newbies. Definitely worth the listen."