The fertile mind of Matt Addison is able to serve up 27 songs in under an hour. It's likely we haven't seen a pop imagination like this since Bob Pollard circa 1994. The Painted Unseen: Selected Singles And EPs is the latest compilation from Addison's Mythical Motors. Collecting a single and 4 EP's, the set is supremely listenable for fans of DIY alt-rock.
On material like "New Planes of Existence" and "Painted Nosedives", the hooks are brittle and the guitars fuzzy. Anyone who's spent time with Bee Thousand will likely feel like they're in familiar territory. And the majority of this material has that same kind of lo-fi energy about it. Still, for all the tunes here which are short and sharp, there are a few which are lovelier. "Wildflower Ford Ceremony" unspools like Fables of the Reconstruction-era R.E.M., while "Mercurial Cries" is simpler still. Addison has a plaintive delivery on the more down-tempo numbers, while he sounds remarkably like almighty Bob on the more GBV-leaning ones.
This compilation from Mythical Motors is pure enjoyment. Consistently inventive, Matt Addison uses this project to churn out concise gems, with prominent hooks and crunchy riffs. Sounding like a greatest hits comp. for the best indie band you've never heard of until now, The Painted Unseen: Selected Singles And EPs is highly recommended.
The Painted Unseen: Selected Singles And EPs by Mythical Motors is out now. Details via Bandcamp below.
[Photo: Mythical Motors]