Starlight Mints - Built On Squares

When you hear the phrase "strange Oklahoma band", you should immediately think the Flaming Lips. The Starlight Mints seem determined to change that. With Built On Squares, The Starlight Mints seem to want to take what their fellow statesmen have accomplished and push it to new insane, quirky levels. They accomplish it incredibly well. I'm sure The Starlight Mints are probably sick of these comparisons, but they're true. And they shouldn't be offended at all. Take what the Lips have accomplished over their whole career and make it more playful, more fun, more humorous, more quirky and you have what the Mints have done in two records. They have great arrangements keeping their songs pretty short and standard, but they definitely feel more poppy and strange... maybe even more insane. The opener "Black Cat" is a perfect display of the band's incredible way of making their music so playful. "Brass Digger" is another great example or their sound, featuring horns, violins, acoustics and a real great bouncy feel. "Jimmy Cricket", the closer, is a quick number that just oozes pure insanity. It's sure to make you exclaim, "damn, this is good!" There's not much more I can say. I put this album on in my car the other day when the weather was in the 80s. The sun roof was open, the windows were down, I was stuck in traffic on my way home from work, and all I could think about is how much I wished I had more fun albums like Built On Squares in my collection. [www.starlightmints.com]