The Mustard Seeds - "Red"

The Mustard Seeds - Red
1998, Radio Mafia

1. Sylvia Beams
2. Coming Up Roses
3. Can't Take Me Down
4. Dying
5. Farewell To Andre
6. I'm Okay
7. Alabama Sings
8. Queen of Misery
9. Way of the World
10. Blind
11. Quicksand (Acoustic)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it - just be more awesome. That's probably the thinking that went into making Red. It's exactly what I expect from the album between the self-titled and III. While it's mostly similar to the debut in terms of sound and style you can hear a little bit of the commercial sounds that were present in III. This is not a bad thing. Oh, and I LOVE the acoustic version of "Quicksand." I hope someday the boys do an acoustic "de-plumed" type album because that would be awesome. Honestly, I don't think these guys could make a bad album if they tried. I will say that this disc needs some remastering as it sounds to me like the vocals are pushed back in the mix - a shame for sure. Also, the cover art doesn't do much for me. Minor complaints though, The Mustard Seeds remain one of my new favorite bands and their albums are definitely the top picks for this year.

Useless Fact: There are actually two versions of this album. One with the cover I have and another that has a butterfly on the cover. I think that cover looks better than the one I have. It also has a different end track, called "Hollywood."

The Mustard Seeds - "The Mustard Seeds"

The Mustard Seeds - The Mustard Seeds
1996, Entourage

1. Mr. Green
2. Last Man on Earth
3. Cats and Dogs
4. Bulldozer
5. Mother May I
6. Red Mountain
7. Ordinary Man
8. Fool For You
9. Life Goes On
10. Quicksand
11. King Kong

Boy I sure do loves me some Mustard Seeds. After getting their latest album awhile back I went ahead and got their debut too. It was cheap. It's also wonderful. It's a little less commercial and the harmonies are more up-front, I think. The King's X type down-tuned riffs shine through as well. I think I like this one a little bit more than their latest - mainly because of the less commercial thing. Either one is fantastic though. *sigh* If I were in charge this band would have been huge.

Useless Fact: The band has another album called Red which is inexplicabley more expensive than the debut. Why? Hmmm... Anyway, I'll have to track that one down as well.

The Mustard Seeds - "III"

The Mustard Seeds - III

2008, Independant

1. Lost in Flight

2. Complicated World

3. Die to Meet You

4. Dorian Gray

5. Oxygen

6. Hunting With Cheney

7. Move On

8. Maybe Next Year

9. Man Overboard

10. Billy Buckner

11. Love Takes You Home

12. Outer Space

The Mustard Seeds are quickly becoming one of my new favorite bands. They fuse soaring harmonies, Drop D riffs, and pop hooks into an album that is infectious and catchy. Upon first listen one might think of Sam Taylor-era King's X. Indeed, the band is kind of a pop version of King's X or maybe a heavier, progressive version of PFR. Either way the harmonies here are amazing and the songs themselves are immediately likeable. From the opening acapella tune, "Lost in Flight" you know you're going to hear some compelling music. When I was finished I wanted to start right over again so as to digest everything that's going on here. I admit that "Move On" and "Maybe Next Year" are a little too Jars-of-Clay-Christian-radio for me, but I still don't skip these tracks. They're not bad... they just sound like radio songs. Still an awesome album despite my personal quirks. Thanks Uvulapie for suggesting them!

Useless Fact: "Hunting With Cheney" name drops Hillary Clinton, Obama, and McCain. It's an interesting political song without the tired cliches.