As well as being a national institution, the Meanies have created their own sick little corner to work in. LInkky's tunes have their own perverse logic, and working in a punk rock context all you need is that '10 per cent' to set you apart. Bam bam bam bam. Body bounces off floor, hits ceiling. Block guitar chords change-change-wait-change, rhythms fracture slightly while retaining intense bopability. Do the Meanie twist!
The 14 tunes the Meanies have delivered here certainly won't make their following disappear, but there is variety to be found. The melodies of "Conan", "Smack Bottom" and "Corpse in Love" are quite ingenious and the tempos, though often a blur, vary often enough to stave off sameness.
This group spits out so much material that it's only to be expected that not every songs will be a killer. However, if there's anyghing here that doesn't grab you, chances are it will be over in less than two minutes. Maybe all this hard work breeds paranoia: "If you wanna hate me/Just fill out the form and sign the line", they sing on "Ton of Bricks". Don't stress guys, there are plenty of people who want this kind of damage.
-John Encarnacao