Like some strange comet that irregularly circles our solar system, two great bands graced our record stores with the rare appearance of new records. The Mekons are perhaps my favorite band. I’ve written about them extensively here and in other places. An original summer of ’77 punk band – contemporaries of the Gang of Four – our comrades from Leeds released a string of good-on-paper singles and LPs, broke up, reunited to play benefit concerts for the striking miners, kick-started the alternative country scene with a trio of indie-released records, recorded some pretty terrific rock-n-roll anthems, got signed and dropped from more records labels than the Sex Pistols, been the shoulda-been, coulda-been, woulda-been saviors of rock music and then scattered across the globe to get on with their personal lives.
With the band spread across both hemispheres, from Hong Kong to London, New York to Chicago and San Francisco, and most members keeping busy with their own solo projects, “Natural,” their first record of new music in five years, sounds less like a rock album than an art project. Propelled by incessant chanting, the mesmerizing “Zeroes and Ones” is the hit of the record, a wonderful juxtaposition of English folk music and the digital world. The infectious refrains of “Dickie, Chalkie and Nobby” and “Give Me Wine or Money” stand out and would be welcome additions to the usual Mekons live set list. Thematically organized around the natural world (or, at least, a 19th century understanding of it), this mostly-acoustic record is not without its moments of catchy song-craft, but overall is a subdued and mostly forgettable affair.
Also returning after a five year hiatus (and rumored break-up) is Imperial Teen. Their new disc, “The Hair The TV The Baby & The Band,” is full of the breezy pop hooks and male-female harmonies that make their long silence between albums so regrettable. “Finger-lickin’ gum-smackin’ sass-talkin you know what” is how Will Schwartz describes the object of his admiration on the sexy “Sweet Potato,” but he could just as easily be describing his band (and may well be). The record’s a perfect summer treat.