Mindless Self Indulgence
If


3.0
good

Review

by Jared Floryan USER (16 Reviews)
May 9th, 2015 | 12 replies


Release Date: 2008 | Tracklist

Review Summary: We are apparently too cool for the 2nd grade.

Hailing from the crackerjack depths of New York City, the quartet known as Mindless Self Indulgence were always an amusing bunch of musicians. Chiefly recognized for their audacious, vulgar stage presence, their method of infusing electronic rock with hip hop and punk elements, and a surprising amount of wisdom beneath MSI's sickening brand of humor, they've gained a devout army of fans over the years. Adding to all this, the band also has had a knack for churning out ear worm after ear worm; this reviewer would be remiss not to mention their iconic cover of Method Man's “Bring the Pain”. Few would even lie to themselves if they didn't at least have some begrudging respect for lead vocalist James “Jimmy Urine” Euringer's charisma, as well as the range he's developed throughout the years. Over the span of Mindless Self Indulgence's wacky career, this whimsical fool has flirted with rapping, falsetto, and the occasional screams every once in a blue moon, so by coupling Urine with the gang's enticing musical style, you have an entourage that was distinctive as they were rich with power back in their heyday.

After Mindless had their special way with a trilogy of studio albums, they later released a fourth full-length recording under independent label The End Records. Entitled If, it was the group's second effort with bassist Lyn-Z. Having said that, she previously contributed to You'll Rebel to Anything, which was – to put it lightly - a record that allowed this team of misfits to gain newly discovered mainstream exposure. At the same time, they also managing to combine the ADHD-inspired atmosphere that permeated the band's first two outings with a noticeably more accessible tone to boot, and this approach was basically expanded upon concerning If. Boasting 15 tracks on the standard edition of the LP, If contains what is by far the most cohesive material within Mindless Self Indulgence's catalog, songwriting-wise. Quite a number of the songs present generally possess an energized, dance-y swagger to them; of particular note is "Bomb in Track": its usage of turntable scratches and Euringer's rapping wouldn't sound out of place in a Hot Topic-fied rave setting.

For diehard MSI fanatics, the album is still Mindless in name and (by extension) attitude. Jimmy's vocals during the record's duration remain distinguishable as ever, albeit comparably professional in inflection and pitch this time around. His aptitude for writing delicious chorus passages stays intact, if the likes of album opener “Never Wanted to Dance, "Animal," and "Mark David Chapman" are anything to go by. The performance that these guys' leader brings in is - whilst far from terrible - predictable. Taking into consideration that the other members of this troupe are taking a backseat to programming tactics alongside this being a more vocally-driven effort, Urine's one-liners just sound phoned in. His once-clever wordplay barely adds anything to the more cringeworthy ditties on here like “Lights Out,” “Issues,” and the especially painful “Get It Up”, the latter of which bearing a spoken word section that not only equates to padding – it's, for lack of superior wording, unfunny.

Now in spite of the spotlight shining down on Jimmy much more than necessary and some questionable songwriting choices (*cough* that aforementioned spoken word section on "Get It Up”), Mindless' fourth collection still has its merits. The production handled by the triad of James Galus, guitarist Steve, Righ?, and of course Jimmy Urine himself accentuates the danceable atmosphere of If pretty well. Those electro-industrial touches alone come close to making this otherwise okay recording on par with its predecessor. Speaking of sound, while there isn't too much variety to be found unlike, say, Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy, these industrial jungle pussy punks aren't terrified to experiment whenever they can. “Mastermind” is easily a highlight off the release, possessing a decidedly sinister aura that comes equipped with the whispery voice Urine utilizes through a majority of it. Another standout from If would be the closer “Mark David Chapman”, a track centered around (and named after) John Lennon's murderer who in the tune takes out copycat musical ensembles in order to stick out amongst the crowd.

If is an enjoyable and good library of (mostly) rousing pieces, being able to stand on its own just fine. It's nowhere near as insane or jaw-dropping as Mindless Self Indulgence's earlier albums nor does it carry a similar quantum of replay value, but beyond that, this is an acceptable addition to MSI's discography. Anyone unfamiliar with them can start out here for the accessibility value if you aren't sold on the band's arsenal of quirkiness, though the reviewer suggests going chronologically or checking out Tight first; hell, You'll Rebel to Anything proves as effective a starting point.



Recent reviews by this author
BUCK-TICK One Life, One DeathCibo Matto Viva! La Woman
Minus Jesus Christ BobbyDir En Grey Macabre
the GazettE DogmaVoodoo Glow Skulls Steady As She Goes
user ratings (344)
3.3
great
other reviews of this album
AtavanHalen (3)
This is what happens when the shock wears off....

druglesshippie (4.5)
And the monkeys came and ate all my strawberry ice cream. I shot them with a fork....



Comments:Add a Comment 
Angelboros
May 9th 2015


1357 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

My first review in a long while. Burnout's gotta be avoided sooner or later, man.



Feedback is very appreciated.

Mort.
May 9th 2015


26041 Comments


Posd, good review

Supercoolguy64
May 9th 2015


11838 Comments


cool rev, pos

Jasdevi087
May 9th 2015


8162 Comments


An Angelboros review? No way.

Pos

VaxXi
May 9th 2015


4418 Comments


All the cool bands are ruined by scene kids.

Supercoolguy64
May 9th 2015


11838 Comments


didnt the guy who made invader zim directed a music vid by these guys?

Angelboros
May 9th 2015


1357 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Jhonen Vasquez, IIRC, directed the music video for Shut Me Up.

VaxXi
May 9th 2015


4418 Comments


Yeah, he did direct Shut Me Up.

Acanthus
May 10th 2015


9812 Comments


Only ever enjoyed one full album by these guys, a couple songs here are fun though.

Angelboros
May 10th 2015


1357 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

My older brother once had a deluxe edition copy of this; the artwork for that version was done by Jhonen as well. Just out of curiosity, I used to borrow it from time to time and at one point brought the booklet to school with me. Shit, those were the days.





CaptainAaarrrggghhh
July 3rd 2015


432 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Good review. Love that record. Yeah, the sappy choruses get old over time and the overall feel is safer than the first two LPs (actually even safer than "You'll Rebel") but some melodies are just to damn good to be sour about it. And the lyrical matter is as always (balls) deep. I re-spin it every now and then just for the sing-along factor. And the punches.

unlog1c
June 24th 2022


204 Comments


Good review, but I disagree on replayability. This and YRTA are more replayable than the first two albums due to their more accessible structure.



You have to be logged in to post a comment. Login | Create a Profile





STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS // CONTACT US

Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


Site Copyright 2005-2023 Sputnikmusic.com
All Album Reviews Displayed With Permission of Authors | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy