Dropped by Mindfunk
Style: Alternative Rock, Stoner Metal, Grunge
Release: 1993
Length: 64 min.
Ratings on RYM: 123
I didn't listen top this album for a while due to its disappearance from YouTube. Well, I found it again, and I can say I'm quite pleased with the album. Mindfunk started out as a funk metal band, but steered towards the grungier sound of the rising fad with this, possibly in an attempt to capitalize off the new scene. Did they succeed? Well, it could be grungier, but it's grungy enough to call it grunge. Plus, the album itself is good for a couple listens, but one could also write it off as a simple alt. rock album. Released on Megaforce (some real gems there), Mindfunk is another obscurity that probably should have made it into the bigtime while grunge was still popular.
Upon the first buzzing noises, I eas puzzled by the symbolization and thought to myself it was just added there in a failed attempt to bring something a little different to the palette. That didn't stop the opener from being good. "Goddess" does iots job as an opener by being entertaining and by introducing the listener to the leading vibe of the album. It has a solo that's like a classical piece with electric guitars. It's quite a good opener. "Closer" is next, and it sounds like the first song ut with a differet riff. Having said that, we can confirm the opener did its job. There's definite AiC influence in "Closer," so it's not a disappointment. The next track isd "In the Way Eye," which seems like a vast improvement from the second track, being softer and more alternative. However, I entered the fourth track, "Zootiehead," which sounds like something straight out of a heavier Mudhoneyt album but with a serious stoner sound. Next is Wisteria." This song carries a similar stoner feel to the previous one, but it seems to be more rhythm based. If you listen closely, the Soundgarden influence is dead obvious. These guys must've really liked grunge. All that's left is Nirvana and Pearl Jam. The second half of the song sounds like a diufferent song, which begins as a simple, progressive style track. It didn't transcend into the second half well.
Second Half. The opener to the second half is "Mama, Moses, and Me" which carries a very fast-paced sound that's a bit different from the lengthy sounds of the previous tunes. There seems to be a slight bit of Pearl Jam influence in this track. I could be wrong. In "11 Ton Butterfly," it starts off with a slow, quiet, really cool bass riff. Right at the moment thaty it seems the riff has gone on long enough, they mix up the riff a little. Smart move. These guys may be really good with timing. It's a nice sweet song at first, but as predicted by the way it built itself up, it carries a heavy chorus. A typical alternative/post-grunge practice. Still, this was before post-grunge became a thing, and it retains a lot of creativity. I suppose it's the best song on the album. "Hogwallow" is next. Wow. That title is stereotypically grunge. As far as the tune gopes, it's too fast-paced to really call alternative or grunge. I suppose "Hard Rock" is the best thing to dsescribe this seriously fast-paced song. "Billygoat" starts off screaming a whole stoner vibe during the chorus and intro, but the rest is seriously alternative. "Hollow" is the last song. It starts out very strangelym and quietly, psychedelically. Every good stoner album needs a little psychedelia. The intro was so cool and so estranged that I was really looking forward to the other seven and a half minutes. As far as endings go, the only other time where the ending has been the best song on the album was Bee Gee's 1st. So, yeah. I really enjoyed this psychedelic piece of work. I rthink it was a wise choice to use this lengthy, cool track as the ending and to lengthen in to almost 9 minutes.
Despite having a fairly generic sound, the 5-6 minute songs almost never feel drowned out or longer than vital. In fact, that's quite impressive of the band to skillfully take a generic sound for so long, especially considering it's a one hour album. The album here is very diverse, has good lyrics, and a good voice. It's appealing on various levels.
Overall, I'd say this is a worthy addition to alternative, stoner, and grunge collections, even if it's not essential or mind-blowing in any way.
81.5/100. I recommend it.