Does exactly what it says on the tin. Some of the nonsense contained herein may be very loosely related to The Sisters of Mercy, but I wouldn't bet your PayPal account on it. In keeping with the internet's general theme nothing written here should be taken as Gospel: over three quarters of it is utter gibberish, and most of the forum's denizens haven't spoken to another human being face-to-face for decades. Don't worry your pretty little heads about it. Above all else, remember this: You don't have to stay forever. I will understand.
The Mumbles have now completed their new album, "The Dust Left Behind". Stylistically it is a progression from 2008's "The Wire" and follows the rules set out by "Night Train". The album contains eleven songs and will be released on November 30th 2009.
Some tracks from the album can be heard on the band's MySpace.
They've decided to revamp three older songs but the main bulk of the album is completely new. The songs are mostly mid-tempo and, due to the recent acquisition of a session guitarist, contain a sprinkling of varying sounds.
The record is predominantly keyboard-based (like their other releases) and is somewhat of a cementer in terms of style.
With this album you will be given the choice of owning it either in a physical CD format, or in a downloadable MP3 format, or both.
Tracklist:
1. Fire Danse
2. Control
3. Night Train
4. Getting The Fear
5. The Machine
6. Movement
7. Twenty-Two
8. Dream Of Mirrors
9. The Fall
10. Escape
11. Superstition
The album's out on November 30th and will be available on CD through Amazon.com, and as a download from Amazon (worldwide) and iTunes (worldwide)
When I first wrote about this band I was shocked by the lack of interest, which bordered on derisive suspicion. They bravely announce themselves on their business card as Gothic Orientated Piano Rock, which is far more modern and interesting as a concept than the majority of bands around. It seems quite obvious to me that if a band is using vocals and keyboards without any reliance on familiar crowd-pleasing norms and forms they need to have great songs to even force their heads above the surface. The Mumbles have plenty of great songs and while it may seem a relaxing variant on Gawf with a drum machine, it’s not really that either. James Ward and Robert Cowlin are coming out of a different drainage system, as close at times to Cult With No Name as they are Goth standards, but in their weirdly modest way they’re close to the album of the year here. So I wasn’t going senile, thank you, you simply weren’t paying attention.
‘Fire Danse’ is an easy opener, the keyboards gently ruffled by the vocal wind, the song stirring and lyrically dramatic, the shadows and worries closing in. ‘Control’ is so graciously tuneful it barely masks a jumble of disaffected emotional wreckage and increasing agitation, but the overall effect is strangely sanguine. ‘Night Train’ jangles darkly with a classic resonance and some unintentional lyrical humour as the chorus goes, ‘tickets please, you need to pay your fare, then I saw the night train… night train wasn’t there.’ (Cutbacks, eh?) Trust me, this song gets inside your head like an extra brain, with Emily Cox’s vocals also adding to the charm. That said, they really need an extra different verse to justify the length, or to have a shorter edit.
‘Getting The Fear’ has a prettier tone, but just as slinky a vocal touch, with Emily snaking around and guitar shading. ‘The Machine’ has the vocals spilling off the musical ledge, flopping at your feet, gazing up in recalcitrance then being sucked up in the spiralling, dizzying beauty, and spat out the top of our listening horizon. ‘Movement’ is a bit gloomier, but squeezes life out of the flat landscape with interesting shades of grey, so it has a quite different feel, with an uppity ‘Twenty-Two’ threatening to rock but this at least helps hide its weaknesses. It’s the dullest song here, but at least it remains briskly chattering.
‘Dream Of Mirrors’ returns us to the ludicrously appealing conventional melody laid bare and some wonderful lyrical confusion and smokescreens. (‘There's too many yes-girls, For his age old lie. If I could get sick from hypocrites, my God…’) ‘The Fall’ goes on a rickety keys adventure, the vocal avoiding the gaps and it’s a sleek bastard. ‘Escape’ goes the other way, vocals couched in defeat and gloomy concerns, offering stasis or worse as real life choices, as mournful keyboards shrug and paint a far from pretty picture. In many ways that would have made a more artistic closer than the capering ‘Superstition’ which flaunts some swish Goth moves, has a deep dark cortex, and ends abruptly, but maybe it isn’t emphatic enough, while the preceding doom was more impressive? Pah, a small quibble for such a fabulous record. It doesn’t enough matter they’ve still got a very basic sound either, and the sound isn’t as lusciously produced as it all deserves, because the songs make it what it is. The songs are alive, and coming for you. Unless you’re actually scared of convention subverted?
Listening to The Mumbles is a bit like having a filthy secret when all your mates are into louder, spikier, snarling things. If it makes things any easier you can hide the record under your bed.
I tried, I really did. I listened to the samples on Amazon.
I'm sorry but it's just not for me Rob. Best of luck with it all though, you deserve success, you're one hell of a nice guy....I just wish I liked your music
Nice 1 Rob I do like your lyrics - holding the telephone, tells us nothing...Lugubrious and from what I've listened to, vitality that goes well with the slight urgency in the rhythm.
Like DerekR it's not strictly my cup of tea but it's more than ok on my shelf for when the mood takes me.
Good work
People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.
as for DerekR and darkparticle this is not something that's from my shelf but wishing you well.
i said it before, but have to repeat it: too much talended peaople around. you made me feel like i was talentless leech.
robertzombie wrote:
The CD can be ordered now through us and Amazon, whichever you prefer
Congratulations Mumbles!
Could I order through you though please Rob? I'm not of these times ordering through sites as I still believe in real cash transactions! Is it possible?
it's all about circles and spirals
that ongoing eternity
Looking forward to hearing the album. I'll buy a copy off you at G Fest and pay cash if that's ok, or is it all made to order?
I still hold that you need to play live...A LOT. London has a fantastic post-punk scene full of kewl bands with kewl haircuts. All posing pseudo Goff. You could beat them at their own game with your dodgy sunglasses ALONE.
I think you'd make a real name for yourselves if only you got out there and played! You should probably be playing in London every damn weekend for the next year, then the rest of the UK, then the world! (Uncle Nemesis, author of Nemesis-To-Go webzine might point you in the right direction for that kind of thing if you asked nicely). The recorded material is strong enough to get you plenty of decent gigs, and your strong ties to the London Goth scene mean that you'll have a strong draw, making you every promoters best mate.
Many people (including myself) just won't take a band seriously until they've seen them live possibly even a several times. That's not to say I don't take The Mumbles seriously, but you see what I'm trying to say.
I agree with that reviewers comments about a live bassist as well. That would fatten out your live sound no end and add a more organic element to it.
It is all made to order however we can have copies shipped to us which we can then sell to you for £10 + p&p where applicable Let me know what you want to do.
Let me know what you want to do.