The Mentulls

This is an album that is easy to love, comfortable and familiar in many ways but which still possesses enough originality and complexity to make the listener think. All in, quite a package.

The band are a three piece – guitar, keys and drums - consisting of the Pipe brothers Andrew (Guitar & Vocals) and Jamie ( Hammond, Rhodes, Wurlitzer and piano) and Nick Colman on drums and percussion and their claims that they grew up listening to many different styles of music is definitely borne out by this album. Produced by Wayne Proctor and mastered by the legendary Ray Staff, they have decided to make a bold statement that they are tyros no more, this is a band whose time has come and this is their statement.

The music takes you on a journey through the many stages of rock and Blues through the sixties, seventies and aughties from the opener ‘Silverbird’ which has a pounding drum line coupled with a swirling Hammond and guitar work that came from Walter Trout’s top drawer.
Add to that the title track which shimmers and glistens with a soul-rending solo from Andrew and vocals that are simple, understated and allow the music to do its work. Andrew Pipe is definitely developing his own style and sound, capable of heart-wrenching and driven riffery and he uses it all here. ‘Reflections II’ is altogether harder and stronger, perhaps the other side of the mirror?
They can do a straight Blues on tracks like ‘Time To Focus’ (featuring Aynsley Lister) with the guitars taking on a Thin Lizzy-esqe riff and harmony and then developing the track into something more akin to Prog seamlessly and effortlessly.
Closer ‘Speaking In Silence’ has so many echoes of the classic rock periods you may feel you’ve heard it before but this is all new and quite lovely.

A band with many faces and complete confidence in their talents – and they deserve to be.
A cracker of an album and a band to watch now and for years to come.