If you had to pick one word to describe
Miniboone, "clever" would be an excellent choice -- these guys are smart enough to have named themselves after a celebrated experiment in particle physics. On their second full-length album, 2015's
Bad Sports,
Miniboone deliver a master class in new wave songcraft and indie pop smarts, cramming the album full to the brim with sharp but effective melodic hooks, tough and artful guitar figures, elastic keyboard lines, precise stop-and-start rhythms, and arch but beautifully rendered harmonies. Fold in the purposefully affected vocals on "A Message to You, Eddie" and "Erasure," and song titles like "I Know You Would Do Anything for Love But What Would You Do for Me" and "I Don't Want to Write an Email," and there's practically no end to the way
Miniboone have chosen to show they're the smart ones at the party. Along with all those smarts,
Miniboone have craft to spare, sounding remarkably tight and forceful on
Bad Sports, particularly when they hit the sharp curves in their melodies; their lyrics are not just clever but sometimes witty, and if you want to put someone down for trying to live in the past, "You want to listen to 'Paint It Black,' you want cigarettes at 35 cents a pack" is a good way to do it. If you thought the kids in the honors classes didn't know how to have fun, then
Miniboone would like you to give
Bad Sports a spin and get a fresh perspective on this vital issue. ~ Mark Deming