THE MINDS
Plastic Girls (Dirtnap)
Reviewed by Alan Wright

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Somewhat similar in sound to other Dirtnap acts like the Briefs and the Epoxies, these guys fall somewhere in the middle of the two. Like the Epoxies, they have keyboards, but aren't as synth-pop sounding, and like the Briefs they are punkier and have plenty hyperactive and energetic, yet the keys add an element to their sound that the Briefs don't have. I dug the Minds' single I picked up a couple of months ago, and this debut CD is just more of the good stuff. All the band members have fake names like "The Cortex," "Cera Bella Palsy," "Mikey Mind" and so forth (all brain-related, geddit?). Singer Joel (a.k.a."The Thinker") and guitarist Rob (a.k.a. "Bobby Brains") were/are in the Flip Tops, who are more glam-punk sounding but also very rad. I don't know if I would say this is better, but it's really, really entertaining stuff. The songs are extremely fun and rocking, with hilarious lyrics and songs like "Plastic Girls," "Smash Smash Smash" and "Nerves." They also do a song by Joel and Rob's old band, Jetpack, and a good cover of the Adverts' "My Place."

© 2004 - Alan Wright