The first time I put on Got to Tell the World, the new album by local Pop/Rock foursome Screaming Mimes, and cued up the first track, “You're the Kind of Girl,” I listened for about a minute then had to run outside to pay my parking meter. Walking back to the office, I found myself already singing the chorus hook in my head, totally unconsciously. That is a sign of great songwriting, showing singer/guitarist David Storm's intuitive grasp of what makes an instantly memorable Pop melody.
World (the band's third LP) is, start to finish, loaded with these kinds of ear-candy hooks. If you don't have a handful of these melodies in your head after listening to the album once, you should see an otologist. The band can lean towards a “Soft Rock” side at times — the tune “Open” could have made Toto a million dollars — but the sturdy songcraft still shines through. The tracks that feature a strong, upbeat groove seem to work best: “Motion” and “Beating Like a Drum” (among others) infuse Ska rhythms, sounding a bit like The Samples; “The Saddest Girl in the World” has an anthemic quality and Third Eye Blindish jaunt; and the “hidden track,” “It's Not Over,” gives the band a chance to show off their musicianship as they go nuts during a 10-minute jam.
The Mimes show versatility on World and, despite a few down moments, it's the sort of album you can put on and know that your mood and spirit will be lifted.
The band does “An Evening with …”-type show Saturday at the Southgate House, performing the entire night sans openers. They'll kick things off with an acoustic set, play the new album in full and close things out with a run through of their back catalog (and perhaps some surprises). In between sets, the Mimes will screen their documentary Behind the Mask as well as other new video footage.
(Check out performance times and get venue details here.)
