"I'm just fucked up on life." A simple idea. And there are a lot of left-of-the-dial music fans out there putting on the yearns for something more direct, uncluttered and, well, back-to-basics. Call it the "fuck-Radiohead-and-all-things-prog-but-I'm-bored-with-Guided-By-Voices-along-with-their-peers-and-influences rock gripe." Or don't, because it's just too clunky to manage. So in this spirit, here's an album from some Lookout! mainstays that contains the usual pop-punk touchstones but more of a jangle-pop instrumentation than is common to the label. The formula is a light Kinks sort of melodicism matched with token whiny midrange vocals and mostly semi-coy lyrics on frustrating relationships.
Credit could be given to MTX for trying to be the Kinks instead of going the usual predictable pop-punk route, but the guys are merely playing around in a realm that many others have already been mining. Obscure to semi-obscure Bands from the '90s on have copied the British Invasion sound so blatantly that it's come down to little things separating the Jellyfishes of the world from the Olivia Tremor Controls. Respect to the reckless adventurousness of the Davies brothers, even if it means sounding dumber than a box of stapleguns, should of course be more important than aping the imbedded sounds of the group. That said, Mr. T makes pleasant little ditties that vary enough in style to make this LP somewhat exceptional in its rather limited field. Yet, they near the Jellyfish category of artificial sweetener that seems nice at first, but quickly becomes quite stale.
So back to that first quote. Have simple ideas in music gone out of style? Of course not. The Strokes write very basic lyrics about complicated interrelationships. But they're delivered with musical style that, despite what a lot people seem to think, is pretty much their own. Mr. T sings about being "fucked up on life" using an extremely familiar, if hooky, jangle-pop structure. So, while this isn't the best album of its kind, fans of Fountains of Wayne and the like should find much to enjoy here. Those of us who aren't ashamed of wanting something a little fresher for their catchy pop rock music cravings should move right along to the most recent French Kicks album.
1. She's Not a Flower
2. Fucked Up on Life
3. Oh, Just Have Some Faith in Me
4. Big, Strange, Beautiful Hammer
5. Sorry for Freaking Out on the Phone Last Night
6. The Boyfriend Box
7. London
8. Elizabeth or Fight!
9. Everybody Knows You're Crying
10. Jill
11. Shining
12. Institutionalized Misogyny
13. Take All the Time You Need
More about: Mr. T Experience
