REVIEWS

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Mindless Self Indulgence
If

The End Records

Posted: Friday, May 09, 2008
By: Charity VanDeberg
Staff Writer

Staying loyal to their wild speed-punk/rap/metal roots, '80s influences, sex, and their own inimitable style, it only takes one listen to fall in love with Mindless Selfless Indulgence's latest release, If. It's everything you would expect from MSI without repeating anything from previous albums. How often do you find a band that continuously delivers such shocking originality? The music is brilliant, using all the bleeps and bloops of the Atari age in only the freshest ways blended with modern electronic sounds. The guitar grinds, the drums race, and every element fits perfectly in place. Little Jimmy Urine's vocals cut deep as they jump across the scale, reaching the notes that dogs love, and the backup vocals are a perfect complement. It's not easy to pick out just a couple of great tracks from this collection, but the ones that jump out are really something. "Issues," is a hilarious hip-hop story of boy meets girl, girl won't put out, boy makes out with girl's friends. Next, we have the heavy hitter "Get It Up," featuring a wonderfully imaginative musical arrangement, horny female backing vocals, and a break where Urine pleads for his intended to say something sexy. "Animal" sounds like it should be a sped up version of an '80s hair band classic while "Mastermind" is just an instant classic. Breakdance beats, scratching, sirens, screamo vocals, and menacing whispers push the volume to the maximum, just daring you to resist. And finally, there is "Bomb This Track," sounding like a collaboration between Eminem and The Used; it couldn't be catchier, faster, or harder to sing along to.

MSI has done it again. If is exactly what you would expect: a beautifully-crafted, sex drenched, multi-genre injection of concentrated energy.