When this LP fell into my lap I was expecting another 11 songs of hard and fast Punk Rock classics. This time around, The Mistakes have gone down the acoustic route.
“Nation” opens the album with some “Holy” ranting. The vocals are clear and direct, almost confrontational. A song about beliefs with some token cussing thrown in for good measure! “CCTV” – a tale of sex caught on CCTV! – is a song of lust and longing between two people with a shared musical passion. If this song was played live, full electric, one can imagine a good sing-a-long from an enthusiastic crowd. “Forgive Me” is the weakest track on here; it’s self-explanatory, and a little twee. “Here’s To Heresy” comes across like a protest song (a Punk Protest song) if you like. It’s lyrically and vocally great, an ode to Heresy no less!
“The Real Big Issue” is a song of struggle that tells the story of a Town Crier weeping, due to his town dying. “Helen and Mike” is a sad tale of family planning (tongue firmly in cheek), while “I Couldn’t Be An Emo” takes a swipe at the vegan eating habits of an Emo, along with their attire. “Life Was Great Until Simon Cowell Ruined It” needs no explanation as to its subject matter. “Life’s Too Short” has the best intro and some nice picking; it’s a tale of life and all its excesses. “Molotov Rose” once again tells a story, a story of a girl “ready to explode”! This collection ends more or less as it starts acoustically but with an upbeat little ditty called Upstarts and Heretics.
I applaud The Mistakes for pushing the boundaries while pushing themselves. It would have been too easy to just dole out another full electric Punk LP, and while I’m not a massive fan of this offering it shows a band with a range of talent that are constantly evolving.
Line Up
Ross Sutcliffe (vocals)
James Gould (Lead guitar)
Shane Creech (Rhythm Guitar)
Richie Blandford (Bass Guitar)
Mat Jessop (Drums)
Tracklisting
Nation
CCTV
Forgive Me
Here’s To Heresy
The Real Big Issue
Helen And Mike
I Couldn’t Be An Emo
Life Was Great Until Simon Cowell Ruined It
Life’s Too Short
Molotov Rose
Upstarts And Heretics
Videos
Band Links
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mistakes/75288224042
http://www.youtube.com/user/mistakepunk
Review by Ross A. Ferrone.
