Miniboone – Big Changes

Having recently reviewed a handful of slow, thoughtful indie releases, popping in Miniboone’s debut EP, Big Changes, was like being woken up from the frigid chill of an icy bucket of water.  The New York quintet’s six song EP has more hooks and general obscurities than pretty much anything else released in 2010 thus far.

Finding a reasonable comparison accurately encompassing Miniboone’s raw enthusiasm and out of control nature took me through everything from zany man-child entertainers The Aquabats, to the catchy electronic idiocy of The Network, and even the more widely recognized hooks of band’s like Hot Hot Heat.  But only when I recalled the now defunct stylings and underwear trotting live show of Edmonton’s short-lived Sudden Infant Dance Syndrome did a comparison feel right.  For those unfamiliar with that obscurity, think of a cleaner, more refined version of Fake Shark Real Zombie, or more ambitious rendering of The Blood Brothers.  But now, moving on to the content.

The band is crazy right from the start, and keeps listeners guessing for the EP’s entire twenty-minute duration.  “Summer Jam (Cool Fun)” opens with the addictive clicking of speedy drumsticks before adding some surprisingly reserved bass scales and reoccurring, almost Queen-like backing “ooohs.”  But once their lead vocalist starts up, even when exercising restraint in a controlled setting he feels as if ready to explode, making his initial reserve feel like a blocked storm pipe ready to burst.  “Summer Jam”’s buildup is perfectly agonizing, making “Cool Kids Cut Out Of The Heart Itself” a natural release agent.  Here vocals explode into a frenzy of expression with the rest of the band following suit, energetically cycling through inventive riff combinations and flamboyant electronics.  Their sound is huge, and when their lead vocalist’s two vocal companions chime in, the spirit of Queen’s larger-than-life dramatics consumes all.

But while the Miniboone sounds ever-crazy, a survey of their oft-overshadowed lyrics reveals a hint of sanity.  “Rosalina Must Dance Alone” stands out as a lyrical centerpiece, with a simpler musical sample stripping down to accordion-like electronics, simple bass work, and reduced drumming.  The regularly flamboyant vocals find themselves instead channel delicately, and a thoughtful narrative about the development of human emotion unfolds: “When I was sixteen I wouldn’t believe in it/no expression of truth/just a chemical reaction/I found love/it’s love/now that I’m twenty two I’ve found love.”   It’s sounds sappy on paper, but amidst Miniboone’s wacky stylings, it feels incredibly sincere – in that crazy Miniboone way.

So in the end Miniboone’s debut proves them masters of madness even at the onset of their career.  Their imagination knows no bounds, and their ambition no limits, making Big Changes a must have for those in search of excitement.  Highly Recommended.