(Ipecac Recordings/Rekords Rekords, 2010)
On the face of it Mini Mansions is a modern take on playful pop music of the 60’s and 70’s. However, it has some creepy and sinister undertones making it delightfully compelling.
Queens of the Stone Age’s Michael Shuman is the brainchild behind this project, and along with Zach Dawes and Tyler Parkford, they produce a sound which most have compared to The Beatles. The album also contains a psychedelic element reminiscent of Pink Floyd, an artful playfulness reminiscent of David Bowie, and a modern touch reminiscent of Arcade Fire; putting it somewhere towards the back end of The Beatles existence, possibly even a indication of what The Beatles would have gone on to become.
Right from the first track, Kiddie Hypnogogia, the tone of the album is set with a lighthearted and upbeat opening quickly giving in to slow melancholic chords which create a sense of mystery and fear of the unknown. The Room Outside introduces a Beatles-esque tone and with lyrics about astro-psychical realms points more towards their progressive side. Majik Marker later continues this and is possibly the strongest track on the album, providing a wonderful throwback into the world of 1960’s psychedelics.
Mini Mansions maintains a strong piano element throughout which give tunes like Crime of the Season and Girls and lighthearted and at the same time worryingly dark feel. Monk stands out as the creepiest track on this chilling album. Lyrics such as “If I promise that my hands don’t move, you wanna tuck me in? No touching or feelin’ anything / If I promise that my lips stand still, you wanna run your mouth? No touching or feelin’ anything” stand in stark contrast to the catchy beat and vocal harmony of the song.
Wunderbars is slow and brooding, Seven Sons is upbeat and uplifting, and mixed in throughout are Vignette #’s 1, 2, and 3 creating a range of moods and emotions and a something quite unique from what is around right now and what has come before.
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