"Ultimately this contrariness does seem to be a quite intentional (and sometimes even rather studied) aspect of Mystery Jets’ music, and as a matter of fact it does seem to be a significant part of their appeal to their fans, but for those who prefer songs to be straightforward and immediate then Making Dens may be at times rather difficult to swallow"
"Ultimately this contrariness does seem to be a quite intentional (and sometimes even rather studied) aspect of Mystery Jets’ music, and as a matter of fact it does seem to be a significant part of their appeal to their fans, but for those who prefer songs to be straightforward and immediate then Making Dens may be at times rather difficult to swallow"
Mystery Jets – Making Dens
(679 Recordings)
Eel Pie island’s most eccentric inhabitants seem to be the kind of band who aren’t exactly sure what kind of music it is that they’re really making. Not necessarily in a bad way, you understand, but in the hands of most acts many of the songs on this, the Mystery Jets’ debut set, would probably be rather more content to settle down and decide whether they’re a breezy pop song, say, or a jerky indie dancefloor filler, or even a gentle lament. As it is, the majority of the songs here seem in some ways to reflect the apparently rather mixed membership of the band – rhythm section Kai Fish and Kapil Trivedi look more like members of some sub-Arctic Monkeys rock band, lead guitarist William Rees gives the impression of a fan of more gentle alternative music, lead singer Blaine Harrison is surely a member of the Green Party and Henry Harrison looks almost totally out of place mainly by virtue of being Blaine’s dad, and thus considerably older than anyone else in the band. It’s this strange combination that is Making Dens’ strongest suit, but also its greatest weakness.
The chief flaw with Making Dens is that while it’s clear from opener You Can’t Fool Me Dennis that Mystery Jets have a great ability to make charming and beautifully airy music, they frequently risk scuppering themselves by repeatedly chopping and changing the songs midway through. You Can’t Fool Me Dennis, for instance, moves repeatedly between foot-tapping, danceable sections and much slower, almost a capella segments. It works to endearing effect on that particular song – which is far too upbeat and summery to dislike – but you can’t help but think that it would be an even better song if they just let the song stay at one, appropriate, pace. What is more frustrating is that the tracks that Mystery Jets seem most prone to switching around like this are those which are the most immediately engaging and rhythmic on the record. Alas Agnes is a fine case in point, a recent single which one moment fizzes and bubbles along with enormous pace and energy, and then just slows itself down about halfway through for rather longer than is really comfortable, immediately reducing the effect the song would otherwise have. It’s still a fine track, but like many on this LP, one you can’t help but feeling could easily be made even better. Ultimately this contrariness does seem to be a quite intentional (and sometimes even rather studied) aspect of Mystery Jets’ music, and as a matter of fact it does seem to be a significant part of their appeal to their fans, but for those who prefer songs to be straightforward and immediate then Making Dens may be at times rather difficult to swallow.
Which isn’t to say that this isn’t actually a very, very good record, just that it can be a little awkward, and certainly does try to win hearts over in a tough way. But when a disc manages to switch between heart-aching melancholy and big, swooping melodies as smoothly as this one does, it’s a challenge for a listener not to be won over, and as much as there are times when you find yourself picking holes in the individual songs, the album as a whole actually holds together surprisingly well, and manages to be rather more consistent than each track taken separately would suggest. Another strong point to Making Dens is the numerous, genuinely uplifting moments it possesses. You Can’t Fool Me Dennis’ giddy refrain and the magical Soluble In Air’s opening hum-along crescendo are perhaps the most delightful moments, but the record is packed with little moments that instantly forgive the songs’ inability to keep still. In fact it is arguable that many of the best moments of these songs come at the moments when they switch key or pace, even as this (to me) foible of Mystery Jets’ song-writing equally provide the occasional frustrating moments.
The only other flaw with the record, apart from its slightly unnecessarily wilful oddness, is the lack of emotional connection with the vast majority of the lyrics. Soluble In Air is the main exception, but throughout the rest of the record it’s rather challenging to take much away from the often barmy wordplay – "All of the things you were too fragile to see/You take off your tin hat around me" is fairly typical of Blaine Harrison’s nonsense mumblings, but again it somehow manages to provide little real distraction from the music itself, which at its poppy best makes this record very much worth having. The most recent single The Boy Who Ran Away is enough reason to buy Making Dens alone, a fabulously jittery melody which succeeds in warming the heart and forcing the feet to tap at the same time, pretty much summing up the rest of the album in one song. A somewhat flawed debut then, but definitely an album that provides more than enough entertainment to make up for its deficiencies.
Words: Matt Gregory.