Mind Spiders - Prosthesis LP - Clear Vinyl (/500)

Dirtnap (2015)

To me it's impossible to write about Mind Spiders without bringing up Mark Ryan's past band The Marked Men.  It's also difficult to not compare Mind Spiders in some way to the band Radioactivity (which Ryan is also a part of).  While Radioactivity has become the more logical evolution of The Marked Men's brash and poppy rock and roll, Mind Spiders have been morphing into something else completely and that is no more evident than it is on Prosthesis.

Now, there are still hints of the Marked Men, and for sure that is what keeps drawing me back to this band time after time.  There's some sneaky hooks hidden in the songs along with some big, chunky power chords that occasionally rear their heads.  But at its essence, Prosthesis is a completely different type of band.  They're kind of quirky, with stuttering rhythms like a truly bummed out Devo.  There's liberal use of synth (usually the kiss of death for me), but they're not used in a way that seems frivolous or gimmicky.  The keyboards here really add to the texture of these songs, giving them a darker feel.

Do I like Mind Spiders as much as I like The Marked Men or Radioactivity?  No I don't.  But it's such an unfair comparison as Mind Spiders are really forging their own way and creating some unique and interesting sounds.  I don't listen to a lot of bands that go down this path, but the ones that I do listen to all do it exceptionally well.  Mind Spiders absolutely fit in that category.  After all, I don't typically buy four full length albums by a band that I don't like. 

Mind Spiders - Prosthesis:

https://dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/mind-spiders-prosthesis

Mind Spiders - Inhumanistic - Red Vinyl (/300)

Mind Spiders - Inhumanistic - Red Vinyl (/300), a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Dirtnap (2013)

This is the 3rd Mind Spiders album in the last 3 years, and without question is the best one to date. More straightforward than the others, it really showcases Mark Ryan's strength as a songwriter and how he's updated his sound to keep this project different from The Marked Men. Now, that being said, I will likely compare everything this man does to his work in The Marked Men and that comparison will always probably favor his old band just due to my person taste in music. I understand why Mark would want to strike out and create a band that stands alone and Inhumanistic is about as complete of a success you could achieve doing this.

This iteration of Mind Spiders will appeal to Jay Reatard fans, as you can hear similarities to what Jay was doing in 2008 when the Matador singles were being released. While the songs all have strong hooks, they're kept a little subdued, almost mechanical, and that creates a an interesting vibe throughout.

If you've been lukewarm about Mind Spiders in the past, this record is absolutely worth giving another chance and if you've been a fan previously, Inhumanistic will stand as their crowning achievement thus far. Some of the weirder rambling of the past have been jettisoned in favor of a lean, straight shooting album. Hopefully in 2014, it'll be 4 straight years of Mind Spiders records.

Mind Spiders - Inhumanistic:
dirtnaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/mind-spiders-inhumanistic

Lenguas Largas / Mind Spiders - Sister Series Double 7" - Red Vinyl

Lenguas Largas / Mind Spiders - Sister Series Double 7" - Red Vinyl, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Razorcake (2013)

This isn't technically a double 7", it's actually available to buy as 2 separate 7"s if you want. But the 2 records go together, first in that each band covers a song by the other and 2nd because you can actually stick the 2 covers next to each other and end up with combined artwork. I know Razorcake has done this before, but I still think it's neat every time I see it.

Truthfully I bought this pretty much exclusively for the Mind Spiders. Lenguas Largas was a bonus and I was hopeful to be turned on to a new band. Unfortunately, the songs on this 7" just don't do anything for me. It's almost atmospheric punk. Lots of faint synthy ambient noise in the background. Breathy vocals buried in the mix, nothing that stands out. Even their Mind Spiders cover just falls flat for me.

For the Mind Spiders record, I was pretty nervous at first because the opening cut is their take on a Lenguas Largas song. It's very much in the vein of Jay Reatard and while it's totally fine, it's really nothing special. However, the other 2 songs on the 7" are stellar. Straightforward, Marked Men-ish punk pop. These 2 songs make the whole set worth it.

Lenguas Largas - Sister Series IV 7":
razorcake-records.bandcamp.com/album/sister-series-iv-7

Mind Spiders - Sister Series IV 7":
razorcake-records.bandcamp.com/album/sister-series-iv-7-2

Mind Spiders - Meltdown LP - White Vinyl (/200) & Black Vinyl

Mind Spiders - Meltdown LP - White Vinyl (/200) & Black Vinyl, a photo by Tim PopKid on Flickr.

Dirtnap (2012)

2nd full length album by Mind Spiders who are fronted by Mark Ryan, also known to many as one of the singers in the Marked Men. While the 1st Mind Spiders album was mostly recorded by Mark alone, Meltdown sees the band becoming more of a band, with other folks playing & recording with him.

I think Meltdown is a huge leap forward for Mind Spiders. Though I liked side A of their debut, I felt that side B kind of devolved into a bit of a mess. Meltdown is much more consistent, though you will be rewarded for just sitting down and listening to this record as opposed to having it be background noise. It's the kind of album that sounds best when you are really paying attention to the details. As always, Dirtnap ran a limited to 200 version on colored vinyl, and I was lucky enough to grab one, keeping the collection going once again.

Mind Spiders - Meltdown (you can stream the whole record here):
http://www.spin.com/articles/first-spin-mind-spiders-surf-kraut-skate-rock-meltdown