Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance) and Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats) are quick to release another McStine & Minnemann album. They named it II and it is a big step up from their rather uneven self-titled debut record that came out earlier this year. They went for the darker side of electric (and sometimes hectic) prog this time. Sex is a big thing in the lyrics and some song titles - Girls At The Gig, Quarantine Sex Slave - guarantee that they will be labeled as explicit before even hearing a note.
The debut lacked focus - which could be blamed in on the haphaxard, prolonged recording process - but now they have nailed it. II is a gnarly, dirty sound with "come hither" written all over it, plus great hooks, solos and quite a bit of smokes and mirrors trickery with chord changes and challenging rhythms.The breakneck speed of Old Sparkey will frustate drum students in their futile attempts to replicate it. A must for prog fans of all ages.
II is a self-released album. Buy it from their website. Release date: December 4.
Tracks:- Love Before Algorithms
- I Don't Need It
- I Don't Feel
- Girls At The Gig
- Big Wave
- Tired
- REM
- Love After Algorithms
- The Flame
- Old Sparky
- Quarantine Sex Slave
- Hello Dear Miss Swan Song
- dumbdumb
- Distant Bodies
- Running In Place
- The Horse Is Dead
HCTF review of McStine & Minnemann.
