muck & rage

the purest 'sine on the indie scene

mystik spiral
mcgrundy's brew pub
april 16

reviewed by mike z.

when i arrived at mcgrundy's, already in 
a foul mood because this jerk in a 
camaro cut me off and stole my parking 
space, my name wasn't on the list.  
and then this arty chick at the bar wouldn't talk to me,
acting like she was the queen of something. 
i only showed up because i heard the bass player used 
to play with iggy, but they must have been playing
monoply - because he sucked!  the singer was
this skinny guy who was just the type my
ex-girlfriend would think is cute - some moody pretty 
boy with a stupid tribal tattoo.  the music was bubblegum 
drone crap that's about as exciting as a 
houseplant.  the drummer sure can sweat, though.  
the bartender was stingy with the shots and
gave me this dirty look when i lit up my cigar.  
(i know what you're thinking, but i was smoking 
them way back before the whole trend started, 
and i wouldn't be caught dead on some asinine cigar bar.) 
i kept thinking about my ex and those sicking 
phonies she's hanging around with...


smudge magazine
record reviews


mystik spiral
"behind my eyelids"/"icebox woman"
plush records


this debut release from mystik spiral, a convincingly
tormented quartet, is chock-full 
of impassioned playing and surburban angst.  
trent lane's dark brand of moody 
self-absorption should appeal to fans 
of sisters of mercy, bauhaus, rainy days, black eyeliner, 
and decadent french romantic poets.  
rhythm guitarist jesse moreno, formerly 
of the goth/synth group bats with guns 
("baby shakes her death rattle"), contributes a distinctive
 chunka-chunk texture.  "behind my eyelids" 
is a forlorn ballad that packs a mother lode 
of image laden fantasy.  although lines like 
"as lashes close, i see my woes, spread out 
like a carpet of bugs" verge on self-parody, 
the band's emotional intensity won me over.  
"icebox woman," on the other hand, which 
mines the familiar territory of 
obbsessive love, is innovative only in 
its use of humming.  it sounds like it 
was recorded in a wind tunnel, which 
works to its advantage, yet...