Cul-De-Sacs & Dead Ends

While I was disappointed with their recent "Down In Fall" EP, this collection is a great pop record through-and-through. "Build" kicks it off perfectly with an affected British accent. Most everything on here is fast, short, and eminently hummable. "Almost Arms" is more gentle and bouncy, "Paper Plane" sends me running to my guitar everytime I hear it, and "Now I Can Smile" picks it up when you didn't think things could get any more lively. Yes, this is teeming with 60's influecnes, but it isn't quite as backward looking as the Apples in stereo "Strawberry Fire" or The Essex Green...there's a little more of a turn-of-the-century friskiness to The Minders. "Cul-De-Sacs" is an extremely catchy, energetic collection of songs, and you'll hardly notice the difference between this and a more "proper" album. Pop lovers unite, and rejoice! Here is your salvation.

Normally, when a band puts out a collection of earlier singles you expect it to sound disjointed and choppy. This Minders release however sounds like a well-thought-out preview of their release "Hooray for Tuesday". The collection of singles, carefully strung together, make a fantastic, elastic pop record all its own. Particularly, "Now I Can Smile" and "Build" sound like they could have come off the "Tuesday" release. Note: Hello Editors - The Minders should be listed on Amazon's Essential Artists under Elephant 6.

I can't wait to hear more from these folks. If you like tuneful, well-crafted pop songs, look no further. This CD got me through a grueling weekend at work--and for that I'll be forever grateful. Among the best collections of less-than-three-minute songs (OK, one's 3:19 or something) since earlier Beatles works.