Mistakes Were Made
People Suck, 2021
10/10
It’s been 25 years since Too Much Joy released a record, and it might not have happened at all if Covid didn’t strike. During quarantine the band, who actually never broke up, got the itch to play again, and even resurrected a few songs from the ‘90s that weren’t ever laid down for the 15 tracks of Mistakes Were Made.
“Blinding Light Of Love” starts the album with a buzzing energy that parallels the early days of post-punk with furious drumming, swirling guitars and howling vocals from frontman Tim Quirk, and “Uncle Watson Wants To Think” follows with a much calmer pace, as acoustic guitar and Joan Osborne both add much to the Americana influenced climate.
Closer the middle, “Something To Drink About” gets a bit dreamy with some psyche-leanings and plenty of hazy melody, while “Tranq It Up” is a vibrant rocker that tips it hat to The Stones with a rugged, punk and New Wave filled slant. “Flux Capacitor”, a folksy strummer, and one of the record’s best, then parallels the greatness of bands like The Jayhawks with its warm spirit.
Further along, the gravelly “New Memories” brings a firm guitar crunch that’s somewhere between folk-rock and alt-rock, and “Not Being You” resides closer to ‘80s territory with an infectious synth-line and eccentric quality that’s quite charming. “Just Around The Bend” exits the listen with 10 minutes of anthemic, gritty sing-alongs amid classic rock nods that fades into a hidden 16th track which serves as a thank you to those who funded the album.
You’re likely to be reminded of legends as diverse as The Clash, Randy Newman, They Might Be Giants or The Who here, which could never be a bad thing. Ultimately, though, Too Much Joy have always been on their own path, and while they never saw much commercial success during their most active time, this is the best record I’ve heard all year.
Travels well with: The Kinks- Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround Part One; Mekons- Deserted