miRthkon: Snack(s)

HOORAY!
Something challenging!
Something fresh and chaotic!

California group Mirthkon's second CD Snack(s) is an ear-opener. Do you remember the first time you heard Mr. Bungle? How about the Steve Vai track "There's Something Dead in Here?" Frank Zappa?

I will not use the terms RIO/rock-in-opposition nor will I use avant-garde. But reviewing this CD sure will be difficult without them. This is the kind of music that you appreciate, love and find extremely interesting or it is something you can't-stand-to-hear-for-another-second as it makes you nervous and gives you a headache. Really though, it's much more listenable than the latter.

Snack(s) contains wild melodies and creative (and often dissonant) harmonies, rhythmic ridiculousness, woodwinds and handclaps, and pure fun. I don't want to do anything else when listening, I want to focus on what is going on over in that speaker, how those woodwinds are crawling over one another, from where those guitar chords came (as I listen to "Osedax").

The odd time-signatures could make a few shake their heads, yet I find that if you just let the music play and find out what Mirthkon are up to the result is satisfying.

The hypnotic acoustic guitar arpeggios at the end of track five threw me for a space-loop. Instead of listening to challenging music I was lulled into a trance and had to remember just exactly to what I was listening: *Bonus points*

If you've heard the Trioscapes song "Separate Realities" you have just a snippet of an idea what Mirthkon sounds like.

A few vocal tunes are mixed into the instrumentals - the vocals can be gruff or smooth or neither but never tame - and things are capped off with an inimitable cover of Black Sabbath's "Fairies Wear Boots" arranged by leader Wally Scarold (guitarist/vocalist) that includes double baritone saxes!!

Highly Recommended!

5 Stars for the lot of you

Track Listing
1. QXP-13 Space Modulator 3:53
2. Eat A Bag of Dix 5:14
3. Hapax Legomena 4:51
4. Nocturene, Op. 33 4:19
5. The Cascades 6:45
6. Snack(s) The Song! 7:17
7. Osedax 6:21
8. Mymaridae 6:30
9. Variety Pack 2:55
10. Fairies Wear Boots 7:35

Added: February 10th 2014
Reviewer: Ryan Good
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2430
Language: english

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