It’s almost time to wrap up 2012 and its best albums and singles. Many of which I haven’t had time to mention! So let’s talk about one record that will definitely be on my list, and that has already turned up in a few other ones. Mmoss come from New Hampshire and their new album Only Children might give both them and their new label Trouble In Mind some much-deserved exposure. Burger, who have proved once again this year that they are the best at picking up on promising bands, released the first Mmoss album last year. No one noticed of course, which is also Burger’s curse. With Only Children, Mmoss have garnered comparisions to as widely varying outfits at Pink Floyd, The Byrds and Ant Trip Ceremony. The fact is, that this 9-track LP may be favourably compared to much any critically acclaimed psych/pop album of the 60s and 70s. Not only do they live and breathe the sound, which we’ve seen a lot of bands do this year (not least Cosmonauts and Woods), but the composition and arrangement of the songs bear a degree of complexity not many bands can be bothered about these days. The only thing that would have kept this album from becoming legendary had it been released in 1968 are the vocals, which play a minor role here (something I feel is sadly also the case with another one of 2012’s best releases, from By the Sea). “War Sux” isn’t 10 minutes long because they decided that before finishing it, which some of the songs on Toy’s recent debut give the effect of. It merely goes on until is has emptied every musical potential it holds. Another strong point for the album is the circular fullness, beginning and ending with with the companion tracks “Spoiled Sun” and “Spoiled Son”. It’s an album that doesn’t feel like it stops between songs – apart from flipping it over, the 40 minutes feel like a complete experience. Listen on spotify, particularly to my favourite track “Okay” that could have been a single if they needed one.
