Search - Wondermints :: Bali

Creativity and Listenability at it's Best

tomato cow | Surprise, AZ | 08/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've long been of the opinion that a truly magical recording just begs to be played again and again. "Bali' is such an album. Make no mistake, this is high art. I find Wondermint's sound to be SO refreshing and unique among the mass of noise out there. I confess to only recently discovering these wonderful artists last month when I purchased "Mind if We Make Love', which is also magic from beginning to end. Bali', which I understand was the predecessor to the aforementioned masterpiece, reveals more of the bands evolvement, (they make great back to back listens by the way... sounds like one continuum),



So, what sets these guys apart from the crowd? Well I guess it's like anything in music: you either really resonate with what you hear on a vibrational level or not. Well, I do. I LOVE this stuff. First of all, its surprizingly creative. Every song here goes into unexpected territory musically. They weave a beautiful tapestry of sound textures throughout and never stay too long on one... so the music is never boring and forever interesting. The guys are masterful musicians. Very complex and tight harmonies ride relentless high energy sound waves that continually change and take the listener on a pleasure ride.



But what I really notice as being refreshing is that this band really appreciates beauty in the way that the older great artists of the sixties embodied. By that I mean, vocal harmony, chording, etc. is just friendly to the ear. Lots of great vocal work that is arranged tightly with the instrumentation to create a total sound that is unique. And they play with a great deal of passion and youthful energy. It's music I feel in my gut. Their belief in thier art, and the authenticity really shines though.



'Bali' appears to be a theme album of sorts, but I'm still working on deciphering exactly what that is. Ha ha... it doesn't matter. The experience of listening is it's own reward. It has many fine moments, but really the whole set is of very high calibre. The stylish opener, 'Arnaldo Says' and the sweet following 'Sting o' Luv' are among my current songs that I just can't get enough of. 'Hypnolove' is also absolutely spellbinding, and is very high on my list of favorite songs by ANYONE at ANYTIME. It's pure magic! Other high points: 'In and around Greg Lake', 'Cellophane', 'Spoke of the Wheel Whirled', 'Wanderlust', 'Telemetry', well, I could on.... and include every track here! There is not a song here that is less than a wonderful song. These guys are the 'beatles' or 'beach boys' of the current generation. Immense talent. I hope they eventually get the public recognition they so much deserve.



Bottom line: Don't hesitate to buy this CD. Its a beautiful and very cool and original recording. Theres nothing else out there like it, except of course, for other Wondermint gems. But even then, this is unique unto itself.

VIVA WONDERMINTS!"