So, when you take four guys who have been rambling around the edges of indie stardom for ages (Alex Mass of the Black Angels and BJM, Rishi Dhir of Elephant Stone and the Black Angels, Tom Furse of the Horrors and John-Mark Lapham of the Earlies), expectations would be expected to be high. Judging from the reviews of early singles, that seems true. What doesn't seem to have been anticipated is how completely each member has blended into the band concept.

MIEN MIEN (Rocket Recordings)

This certainly falls under the category of modern psychedelia, but it really reaches a long way from there. Dhir whips out the sitar every so often, but its use is amplified by restraint. And indeed, it's easy to hear each member dial back the excess just a bit.

And that's why this works. MIEN may be a side project, but as a band it has created an album that is more than the sum of its members. There is a myriad of paths to follow, and all of them are intriguing.

A fine album by a working band--even if this may not be an actual working band. Give yourself plenty of time to process these songs, and the rewards will flow. Some kind of something, indeed.

Jon Worley