Greetings From Muckingham Palace. Muck and the Mires

Everytime I look at a picture of Muck and the Mires I can't help thinking: 'This can't be serious'? The band dresses and has haircuts like it's 1964 or 65, when bands still dressed up in identical suits. That moment when The Beatles became individuals and the rest were still to follow. The more albums I hear from Muck and the Mires the more I'm convinced this is a really good band. Playing totally anachronistic music, yes, of course, but the band is able come up with original work that would not have looked out of place in any way in between the early work of The Animals, The Who, Small Faces or Spencer Davis Group. (I heard yesterday, Spencer Davis died at 81 in October. so allow me to remember him here.) Bands who started off with emulating their American R&B heroes before creating their own superiour work.

Muck and the Mires stylistically fit in there, but play their own original songs at a level of proficiency that was unattainable back then. Simply because most musicians had not been able to put in the hours yet needed to obtain such a level. They got there at a later stage in their careers. Muck and the Mires is an extremely tight combo, rocking out in a way that combines the U.S. r&b originals with the British invasion and the U.S. garage rock that came from that invasion. Add a little from the U.S. punk/powerpop strength and power, including players that were able to put in the hours in their respective youths, and you have Muck and the Mires.

Promo photo: Dena Flow

I know exactly why I like this record even better than the previous one, 'Take Me Back To Planet Earth', released just a few months ago. The rock element in this album lies so much higher. Just listen to a 60s pastiche like 'Don't Start Running Away'. It's tight, it's poppy with a superiour pre-chorus. The solo is a Dave Davies whopper but played so much better than Dave could at the time, due to technical proficiency and gear. The same goes for 'Messed-Up Mary'. The song is simply so much fun. The next song is the more poppy and more softly sung 'The Way It Was Before'. Just three songs hidden in the middle of Greetings From Muckingham Palace. By that time Muck and the Mires had me packed in, lock, stock and barrel.

So, yes, this music is totally anachronistic. And who to sell it to? The people who loved this music at the time have moved 55 years on in life, youth doesn't buy any music anymore, so the band is left with middle agers like me, moving on in life but still enjoying good music when they hear it. And good music it is and not just for nostalgic reasons. The songs on Greetings From Muckingham Palace are good in any time frame. Rock is far from dead, folks!

Wo.

You can listen to and order the album here:

https://rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com/album/greetings-from-muckingham-palace-dirty-water-records

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g