The Mugwumps - Can't Be The One (2015)

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The Mugwumps - Can't Be The One (2015)

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The Mugwumps - Can't Be The One (2015)
FLAC+CUE+LOG or MP3 CBR 320 | 28:16 minutes | 253 or 111 MB

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The Mugwumps - Can't Be The One (2015)

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Chris, Hank, and Andy gave us a first look at "Can't Be The One" by making a video (look below) for the first track called "Peek-A-Boo/The Hate Monger" which had me shrieking with delight right away due to it's very Head style approach. The first part is over in 35 seconds, then with a millisecond pause they launch straight back into a lightening fast speed for the second part. The lyrics are campy and fun describing an evil clone attempting to take over the world, showing in no time at all exactly why I love this band so much. While it's true that lots of people can pick up instruments and go for the minimal approach, it takes true talent to turn it to genius and THAT, my friends, is exactly what The Mugwumps do! Never disappointing with a variety of tempos, things slow down in the next track, "Tokyo Tapes", holding an extremely beautiful melody made it an instant favorite of mine. These twelve songs keep moving with so much energy and different themes too! "Iron Moon" veers off into a more sci-fi type direction, telling the story of runaway nazis hiding on the other side of the moon, "King Mastadon" is very playful and really illustrates what it could be like to discover one, then "Fin Fang Foom!" adds in a comic book monster set to a slower tempo. Let's recap all this. So far we have: an evil clone, nazis from space, a mastadon, a monster, and yes, I am smiling from ear to ear because someone remembered punk rock can be fun! I'm so glad these guys aren't afraid to show it and while a lot of the content on this record is as exciting as Kung Fury, I was also of course a total sucker for the love songs Chris does such an incredible job composing. "Can't Be The One", a great kind of scared of love song is perfectly full of 1950's charm but my most favorite is "The Way I Do". This is the one that had a girl getting teary eyed like a dummy because it's that beautiful. The lyrics are so poetic to a point where you can really see the story through his perspective and the emotion in his voice is just goosebump inducing. It could have been a Dee Dee Ramone song and I truly think it's one of the best he has ever written. But the surprises keep coming! When details started being announced for this record, I had saw that an all time favorite punk rocker of mine would be doing some guest vocals but I didn't ask on which song before I heard it! I didn't ask because I know the voice of Andrea Manges as well as my own heartbeat and there he was, singing the last part in "Chinatown". The song is really cool with a strong element of danger and I think it was perfect to include Andrea in it because he is always able to give off that badass vibe with such great ease! So yeah, that one is another favorite and I guess I'll just go ahead and say that's my feeling for all twelve songs going into the closer, "Teardrop/C.B.T.O." a hybrid of two different songs that works so well starting with heartbreak but ending in an ode to being a misfit in life. Which is something I can more than relate to!

It's amazing to think about everything The Mugwumps have accomplished since their start in 2002. They've never had a moment that I haven't felt anything but admiration for and with that being said, I honestly feel "Can't Be The One" is their best work to date.

~ Review stolen from ramonaconfidential.blogspot.com