Mumble - 11/6 - Ypsilanti

Mumble is like the potential fruit blooming off a high branch... from the deeply rooted tree of great 80's power pop and nuanced new wave groove.

The knotty intertwining bark, leaves and sapp, sprouting out from AM Pop-sound, sunny, freewheeling vibe with its honeyed harmonies, to new-wave's tight, catchy hooks, extending up and out toward college-rock's guitar glory spill-outs, and indie/alterna-rock s literate lyrical profusion.

So, suffice it to say, there's a lot of rich stylistic impressions stitched through Happy Living, -- "In It Now" starts out with a breezy wafting strum and serenade and accelerates toward gallant guitar swings. There's tremulous wavy bass line and post-punk chug with "Paper Covers Rock" (with some effervescent sun-toned guitar lead-ins to those choruses); "Bloodletters Town Hall" arises with a Simon/Garfunkley-story-telling style and soft soothing harmonies that punch up into a more gutteral alt-rock burn while "My Fighting Weight" or "Big Blue Ball" might conjure a coily, weirdo-jazzy sort of vibe ala an Elvis Costello or Robyn Hitchcock with it's vocals and melodies.

Still, the musicality is still bolstered by penchants for a more fiery side of the rock spectrum. Somewhere between the softer senimentality of later 70's sunshine pop, seminal new-wave's twirled hooks and vigor, and that 80's-galvanized brand of power-pop - somewhere in there, altogether... is the balanced buffet of these varied 16 tracks-- making up Happy Living -

Take a listen:
Mumble - "My Fighting Weight" - from Reverb Nation

Mumble play the Savoy in Ypsilanti - 11/6