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We just got a review of The Worries. 10/10 thank you very much.

The 405

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Heads up all you indie kids that fell in love with post-rock because Mimas have gone and made you the album of the year. As beautifully uplifting as Sigur Ros, as technically stunning as Do Make Say Think, as dynamic and engaging as Explosions in the Sky. Mimas manage to accomplish this whilst maintaining an energetic accessible sound that is instantly lovable and so obviously their own.

From the moment the guitars ease in through the opening bass drone of “Treehouse” you feel that you are listening to something special, something different. Then tortured yet somehow playful sounding vocals add intensity and depth before drifting away into a slick off kilter guitar line. As the song swells and begins to build again the whole band start to sing along, while horns fill in the gaps, you can feel the goosebumps raising as the song really takes off… But this is just the begining.

Treehouse is followed by the magnificent “Mac, get your gear” Which, after breaking into a dancefloor friendly “na na na” chant, features one of the most euphoric crescendos i’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Then “Dads” begins all strutting and funky, taking a life of its own, before reducing itself down to ambient sounds and a trumpet. Only to build again in a different direction using playful lyrics like root notes, allowing your own thoughts to grow from them entwined with the music. It is truly something to behold, you really need the static noise of “Fangs” for breathing space, to contemplate where you have just been taken.

Rising from this comes “Why in the world not?” which existing fans will know from the excellent Hands Will Carry EP. Sometimes when a band re-records material they manage to lose the something that made you fall in love with it in the first place. Not on this record. Now its even more intense, its even more beautiful, obviously benefitting from its frequent live outings. This is the case with all the songs that have been re-recorded for the album. “Cats On Fire” imparticularly stands out. The intricate guitars sound crisper, the bass warmer and when it takes off it sounds even bigger. Its a song that you can’t help but fall in love with.

“Dr Phil’s Retirement” see’s Mimas reach their most aggressive, check out the roar a couple of minutes in… They fit and lurch through telling the rest of the story and its perfectly tempered with ”Keep Quiet” one of the many highlights of the album. Layering simple jigsaw puzzle guitars, it is restrained and beautiful, leading into a tender heartfelt singalong and a crushing ending that could grace any movie’s credits.

Mimas say on their myspace page that they are gentle lovers, and I for one believe them, they never rush you to a climax. Throughout ”The Worries” they allow time for the melody to come alive, breath, and then bore its way into your brain before really taking hold of you.

They have made an album that is both epic in its sound, and its scale, yet full of beautifully accessible pop charm. Its dense, but not a challenge to listen to, but that is not to say it isn’t challenging if you take the time to delve deeper into the songs. The Worries is a cohesive piece of music from start to finish, technically astute, with no weak points, hell, i’m pretty sure every note on it is perfect. It bridges the gap between post-rock and pop perfectly, in such a way that I am comfortable recomending it to both my hipster friends and my crazy Aunt. Unusually for a post rock band in 2008 they boast a sound that is recognisable as their own, they are adding real life to what is becoming a tired and generic genre and they are doing it with a smile on their face.

Simply put, ”The Worries” is a masterpiece that i cannot do justice with my words, just buy it and prepare to fall in love.

10/10