The Cold Cut

Rating: 8/10
Truly rewarding experimentation from the Eel Pie Island troop...

Mystery Jets- Hideaway
Mystery Jets- Half In Love With Elizabeth

After the dulcet tones of 'Young Love', '21' might come as a surprise. Firstly, we weren't expecting air raid sirens as the instrument to herald its arrival, on 'Hideaway', the opening track. Secondly, for some, the fact that the quality of 'Young Love' is translated across to the album might be unexpected- from the beginning, this is already superior to their ramshackle debut, 'Making Dens'.

The Mystery Jets are not an ordinary band... their formation, appearance, music- everything has that strong sense of individuality about it. How did they come to be? Under the tutelage of Henry Harrison, lead singer Blaine's father, the band developed their brand of progressive rock as young teenagers. It was this style of music that made up 'Making Dens', unfortunately eclipsed by releases from London scenesters Jamie T and The Maccabees. It is also this style of music which is lacking on '21', but its absence is hardly noticeable. The departure of Henry was a likely catalyst. His exit, however, has left a wide open space for youthful exuberance, and in essence, that is what '21' is all about. It should be noted that whilst Henry has stopped performing live with the band, he still contributes to the live process.

Second time around, the band have taken a completely different direction: 'Young Love' made things clear- no overbearing percussion, no prog elements, and no lead singer? Yes, for the first time, Will (guitarist), stepped forward to sing lead. And does a bloody good job if you ask me. Aided by Laura Marling (who happens to be everywhere nowadays), this song is close to pop perfection, and set things up nicely for '21's arrival.

Erol Alkan's presence is felt all the way through the record, and he has done a much better job here than on the new Long Blondes album, 'Couples' (review due some time soon). The prog has been mostly discarded, but Alkan has instead coaxed out some great pop songs: this album has much more widespread appeal, and might see the band finally capitalise on their talent. Songs such as 'Half In Love With Elizabeth' and 'Flakes' are not as simple as they seem, and Blaine's vocals slide easily into place.

Whilst some will be quick to herald this album as 'good' or 'bad', it's really much more than that. On '21', we see huge signs of progression, and the prospect of what comes next is actually more exciting than the album itself. However, if I had to condense it into a sentence, this album is all about a young band with a shed-load of talent, and finally some room to breath. Once again, Mystery Jets have surprised us all...

'21' can be purchased here...

Mystery Jets- Young Love

After 'Making Dens' thoroughly impressed me and I basked in the cool-down, Mystery Jets appeared to drop out of the music world, completely disappearing from magazines, websites and blogs alike.

The band have returned, with a noticeable spring in their step after their self-financed debut sold well. I saw them last year at the peak of their tour, in the Paradiso (Amsterdam), and was pretty blown away by their unique stage presence and quality of their live performance. Blaine, the lead singer, kept still by his spinal bifida, was surrounded by an array of percussion instruments (ie dustbin lids), and the rest of the band whirled around him. The success of 'Making Dens' in the UK created an avalanche which led to the albums release under the title 'Zootime' (a live favourite) in the US.

679 Recordings are the band's label of choice, who are also behind artists including Plan B and The Streets. The album, said to be titled '21', is setting itself up to one of the albums of 2008, with numerous tunes, including 'Flakes' and first single 'Young Love', a luscious slice of indie pop, featuring the always welcome Laura Marling, who keeps conveniently appearing in nice guest spots.

Over the last year, Blaine's father Henry became progressively less involved with the band's live performances, and recently decided to stop performing with the band altogether. He is, however, still involved in the studio work, but has been noticeably absent from their new videos and publicity shots. This is a shame, as he was one of their quirky aspects, setting them apart from the pack.

Regardless, '21' is sure to be another amazing offering from this grossly unappreciated band, and will hopefully see them take their music and stage persona to new heights.

You can pre-order the album on the online store... I would also recommend you watch the great video for 'Young Love':