Mystery Girls--s/t
Trick Knee 2002
Having a ton of positive hype around an album can either help it or hurt it--the effect can be disasterous when expectations aren't met. The general consensus on the street seems to be that the Mystery Girls are the real deal. This self-titled debut CD of theirs certainly stands up to and exceeds all the accolades they've received. This is indeed the raw, real deal.
There are obvious reference points for the Mystery Girls sound--the Stones and MC5 being the ones that really jump out at you. However, there is something about this band that seperates them from "very good" rock 'n roll bashers and puts them on the "great" level. This intangible is a swagger and coolness akin to that of Jack Yarber's classic contributions to the Oblivians and Compulsive Gamblers. Simply put, this stuff is about as badass as it gets.
The stupifying thing about the Mystery Girls is their ability to pen such flawless material at such a young age--all the guys in the band were in their teens when this album was written and cut. In fact, there isn't a single song on this CD that's anything less than killer. In a field of gems like this, it's futile to try and pin down standout tracks. Bottom line: ten songs, ten times you're getting your ass whipped.
All told, this is possibly the best teenage contribution to rock 'n roll since Jay Reatard dropped Teenage Hate on the world all those years ago. The Mystery Girls have started off on the best foot they possibly could--unhinged. This CD is manditory listening, for sure.
Score this CD directly from UNDERGROUND MEDICINE
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