MYSTERY ACTION
Here's To Another Year (MuSick)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Power pop this good is a real treat when it comes along, which is rarely. The songs are hummable, memorable, clever, energetic, uplifting, and about forty other things, all of them good. The drums slam just right, the vocal harmonies are tight, the songs are loaded with great pop structure... What more can you ask for in a pop album? Nothin'! Here's the kicker: this band is TWO bands. When the waves get tasty they kick the reverb tanks and become The Boss Martians, one of the longest-lived bands of the 3rd wave of surf. Their vocal performance of "Don't It Make You Feel Good" on MuSick's great Shadows trib, An Evening In Nivram, was one of the many highlights, but to be honest it never prepared me for dance-inducing pop like "Fan," "One Desirable Male," or "Some Kids Will Riot." Evan Foster, one of the best guitarists on the surf scene, shows he's no one-trick pony without making it be about his guitar. Keyboardist Nick Contento is way more interesting here than he is in Martian mode. He jumps right into the sound and makes it swirl, adding a huge element to the Mystery Action sound. That's one great collective sound. Definitely and early favorite for the first top five picks column of the '00's.

© 2000 - DJ Johnson