MINDSET X
As Seen on TV
8-song CD
Man, I don’t know what they put in the water up there in wild, wooly New Hampshire—judging by Scissorfight, I’d guess cheap beer and top-shelf whiskey–but with a band like Mindset X, I have to suspect the addition of chemicals of a more, shall we say, cerebral nature? I mean, this here is some pretty smart music. It’s also unique enough that I can’t slap an easy label on it—“prog metal” is tempting, but it’s incorrect.

Yes, there are some twists and turns and cool changes within each song, and they’re not the jarring kind that some bands like to throw at the listener to prove their cleverness and ability to change time-signatures; they’re the kind that just plain make the songs more interesting. “Metal”? Well, at times. But at other times it’s more like regular old rock, and sometimes it’s music that shouldn’t be called names at all. I have seen a video of these guys doing an acoustic version of Rush’s “Working Man,” and it’s damn good, and may give you a little insight into where these guys are coming from.

Opening track “Snake Oil” and the anger-driven “Drop” are among the highlights here–the first word that comes to mind is “propulsive.” The rhythm section here is granite-solid, and the lead guitar work is never wanky (another reason why I hesitate to use the word “prog”).

I also reviewed the band’s first disc, Physics, and while I liked it (I still own it, which is more than I can say for the majority of CDs I get for review), As Seen on TV is quite a leap forward. One element that both discs have in common is that the songs manage to be the stick-in-your-head kind, even when they’re clever and, um, proggy. (My only bitch is that the catchiest song on the album, “Sunset Boulevard,” is also the only song that doesn’t really work for me. But give some extra points for the fact that the singer doesn’t remind me of anyone else I’ve heard, and it’s rare that I have to opportunity to say that. Good stuff, period, suitable for in-car or at-home enjoyment. (Tim Emswiler)

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