Search - Mysteries of Life :: Focus on the Background

MOL Stuff

T40T | St. Louis, MO USA | 07/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...the Mysteries have not broken up.They're pretty much back to what they started with: just husband and wife Jake and Freda, and no big record contract. They've got some local collaborators, including Dale Lawrence of the excellent Vulgar Boatmen, who's helped a bit with song writing and keyboards and such on previous recordings as well. Jake also plays bass with Dale in the Boatmen fairly frequently nowadays, mostly in Chicago and Indy.MOL's forthcoming album, "Distant Relative," should be out sometime this fall, on their own brand new label called No Nostalgia.The label will also release a Boatmen compilation of many of their previous tracks, mostly from their 3 spectacular, pretty much out-of-print albums.No clue whether or not they plan on re-releasing MOL's or the Boatmen's complete catalog.If your'e looking fo other MOL CD's, curious about the Boatmen, or searching for just about anything else, check out half.com Great selection unbelievably low prices.That's all for now.I have no idea if anyone will ever read this, but who cares."

This Band Made Me Love Music Again

T40T | St. Louis, MO USA | 02/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the mid '90's I was in the musical doldrums. I got sick of the hundreds of CD's I had, and was either turned off or not turned on by the stuff marketers decided would sell to whatever demographic a station was catered to.As I was on the road constantly for my job then, I looked for something to keep my interest while cruising around.I found it on NPR. I became adicted to their programingOne day, they reviewed an album and played some snippets from it. It was the most unique stuff I'd heard in a while. I was so excited about it that I had to by the album right away. That album was "Keep A Secret" by the Mysteries of Life.I listended to it constantly for at least 6 months. The sound on that album is a combination of excellent early rock n' roll song craftsmanship, with a bit of distortion tossed in for effect, and the deep soothing sounds of a cello permeating throughout. It's an extremely introspective, personal album. The songs are catchy to the point where you expect you might puke, but, remarkably, you don't, because the songs are that good.I still think that album is their best. It inspired me not only to get their other stuff, but to get things like The Sun Records sessions, Buddy Holly, The Feelies, The Velvet Underground, and Luna, all influences on Jake Smith, the MOL guy. Also, I got turned on to other members of the virtually incestious Indiana music community, including the Vulgar Boatmen (lead by Dale Lawrence, keyboard player and occasional co-songwriter of the Mysteries, with MOL's Jake Smith on bass), The Mary Janes (a spinoff of The Boatmen which has at times featured Mysteries' drummer Freda Love on drums) and The Silos (who are lead by a former member of The Boatmen's Florida branch).I think Focus on the "Background" would be a decent place to start, but I still think "Keep a Secret" is worth hunting down.Then, you would be prepped for The Mysteries NEXT release, which was recently completed and should be out by summer."

Sweet, soulful and simply delightful.

ntrop | Foster City, CA United States | 02/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Absolutely, positively, unhesitatingly recommend any recorded sound produced by Mysteries of Life! Sadly, there aren't enough to choose from, and it looks like they're kaput. Get it while you can!It's a shame this is the only disc currently available from this great band. Search your local used CD store for the albums (Keep a Secret and Come Clean)-- you'll probably find them cheap. The Mysteries of Life's key musical ingredient-- sincerity-- is the very thing that will either endear this band to you, or drive you crazy. They had the misfortune of emerging during a time when irony was cool and real emotions were laughed at. This is basic, simple stuff-- pop music with a little soul and no synthetic plastic sounds. Well-recorded, honest songs that have no need to disguise any weaknesses with studio trickery.This ain't "Kid A" (yes, I love Radiohead, who doesn't?), nor is it 9-Inch-Nails. This is just straightforward boy-girl stuff that doesn't suck. And nowadays, that's actually pretty hard to pull off. The singer is great. The songs are great. The music is great. So what if isn't cool? You're old enough now not to care.Besides, they cover Otis Redding. A nice white boy and his wife (on drums!) covering Otis Redding. They mean it, man. How can you resist?"