Cementing The Seams

I don’t know if I should be embarrassed to like this record so much. The story with Menthol is that at some point (addendum: it was 1994, I don’t know why I was being vague), the bassist of 90’s alt-rock group Hum formed a side project called Mother and released “The Gold Record” before being forced to change their name because one of the other bands already called Mother evidently took issue with it (or something). By the next year they had written enough material under the new name to release Menthol’s self-titled debut. I don’t know if it would have sounded strange in context, but today “Menthol” sounds like it’s from 1995 (which it is, but you get what I’m saying right?). It’s a record full of throwback classic guitar rock/power-pop played with a sort of sincere cheesiness that I can’t help but enjoy every minute of. It has the strange feeling of a theme album although I’m certain it isn’t. With songs about stuff ranging from semi-historical figures (Francis Scott Key), teenage prostitution (Stress Is Best), and plane crashes (Reverent, Eyes Heavenward), “Menthol” is more a of non-sequitur thrill ride, but it flows so well I can’t tell the difference. Anyway, listen to this and bear in mind what I said. You shouldn’t be disappointed.

For fans of: Hum, Riddle Of Steel

Check out a few jams here

Get it.