Album: Serotonin
Artist: Mystery Jets
Reviewer: Ryan
Date: 2001-01-31

English indie rock. The Mystery Jets return with their third studio album which features heavy synths, guitar riffs and the distinguishable English twang of lead singer Blaine Harrison. Featuring son and father duo of Blaine and Henry Harrison, the English quintet is probably what would happen if the The Kooks went completely electric and added a keyboard player. The choruses can be a bit trite and repetitive. It’s nothing particularly moving or innovative, just very happy, cheesy-romantic English rock with a poppy feel (if you’re in the mood) and pleasant harmonies that makes it very radio-friendly.

No FCCs
Try: 1, 4, 6, 11

*1) Up-tempo, quiet fade in opening with glitzy synths for about 40 seconds. Builds around swirling vocal harmonies and glittery keyboards. Lyrics are pretty melodramatic
2) Slow track, with a trumpet-sounding synth that builds off piano harmonies. Harmonie echo the lead vocal throughout track.
3) Slow track with rim tap percussion. Sounds like if Tears For Fears missed the 80’s and played a high school prom. Instruments are faded to focus on the ballad-like vocals. Guitar riff near end.
*4) Opens with an interesting kazoo-sounding synth that pops up intermittently, before giving way to a call and response lyric-whistle interplay. Singer hits falsetto notes
5) Heavy bass line on the title-track, which features harmonized whispering vocals before breaking into lead vocal solo.
*6) 80’s throwback again, sounds very Cut Copyish. Guitar riff is awesome on this track, wish we had more. Catchy chorus
7) Driven by a dreamy, new wave synth and a thumping bass line, chorus becomes repetitive
8) Has punk tendencies and starts fast before slowing down to mid-tempo. Pulsating bassline and crunchy guitars contrast the cheesy lyrics.
9) Dark, distorted guitars give this track a more sinister feel. Gives way to brighter vocals. Cliché lyrics all-around.
10) Quiet sparkling synths that lead into a sappy love ballad. Singer sounds like The Darkness. Psychedelic kind of feel halfway through the song which builds tense guitar play, before finding resolve in the chorus.
*11) Quiet 30 second build up. Echo-y drums and dense, distorted guitars make for a gloomy ending track. A welcome contrast from the rest of the album. Melodic vocals float over the guitar/bass/synth sound clash. Slow, quieted 30 second close to the track.