Many Minds – “Smallville” / “Dice”

Many Minds – “Smallville” / “Dice” – Singles Review

These dudes have got something great goin’ on so far.  Considering that Many Minds is only about a couple years into their career as a band with just a modest handful of singles and videos out there on the internet so far, I think they’re doing a commendable job based on everything I’ve heard so far.

Now…that doesn’t mean I don’t have my favorites – we all do, no matter who we’re listening to, right?  That being said, just because I might like one of these tunes a bit more than the other, doesn’t mean that I don’t like both – I do.  I look at it this way – an inspired band tends to make leaps and bounds with their evolution in a very short amount of time when everything is first starting to really come together.  Hence, as I was listening to “Smallville” again after having a quick spin through both singles to get an idea of what Many Minds sounded like, I felt like I could truly hear the differences in between the two tunes, and that their latest single “Dice” was already proving my theories correct.  Many Minds is rapidly developing and “Dice” confirms that – but “Smallville” also shows us that they’ve been solid for quite some time already.  There’s not a massive amount of time in between the release of the two tunes, but enough that you can hear the progress they’re making, and in my opinion, they deserve credit for that.  The last thing anybody wants on either side of the speakers is to feel like everything is always the same.

In the case of “Smallville,” which was released towards the end of November last year, we get a great glimpse of the kind of songs they wanna create.  Many Minds is definitely looking to write the kind of tunes that’ll have their audience singing along with’em, and they’ve got an excellent grip on what they can do to make everything catchy enough to succeed in that goal.  Not to get too Canadian on ya with the comparisons I have, but listening to “Smallville” reminded me of two bands from my home country, with the Alternative edge in their sound resembling something like Our Lady Peace, especially in parts of the vocals, and combined with the lesser-known but always incredible Alt-Pop sound of something like See Spot Run, who always created songs that were extraordinarily catchy.  So…I mean…heck yeah – why wouldn’t I like Many Minds when I love both of those bands I’m comparing them to, right?  Plus, if you start really digging into what the band has released online, you’ll discover they’ve got covers of “Steady As She Goes” by the Raconteurs and “E-Pro” by Beck…which is a clear indication of superb musical taste.  After listening to “Smallville,” I couldn’t help but think that this band could pull off a killer cover of a tune like “Do You Like It?” by Our Lady Peace, or really anything else off the band’s Gravity album, which was really a pivotal moment where they softened their sound to broaden out its overall accessibility.  In any event, yeah man…I can get behind everything I’m hearing in Many Minds, and “Smallville” delivered a fully favorable impression.  Single-worthy sound, tight band, great vocals…what’s not to like?  I might have a few moments here and there where I’d debate parts of the lyrics perhaps, but that’s just the way the Grunge spirit in me tends to react to tunes designed to get us all singing along…so pay no mind to that.  Ultimately I’d be the first to tell you that they’ve written a well-crafted tune that’s focused on the main theme they chose, and the execution they’ve put into it is something they should collectively be proud of.  Basically, I can only imagine that “Smallville” checked all the boxes they were intending it to.

Objectively speaking, I felt like “Dice” was a strong step forward for the band.  Technically, it was only released about a month & some change after “Smallville” was, but like I was alluding to earlier, you can hear the evolution occurring quickly in bands that are really locked into what they’re creating in the early stages of a career.  Arguably, it’s got a bit more of a unique vibe to it…”Dice” kind of resembles something along the lines of what Mellowdrone created, but with a noticeably upbeat energy to it.  Maybe that puts this tune a little closer to the more accessible & catchy vibes you’d find from something like Franz Ferdinand.  It’s pretty much party-music designed for the dance-floor when it comes right down to it – I feel like they’ve got a genuine crowd-pleaser on their hands with “Dice” and I genuinely feel like it would be a tough tune for anyone out there to resist.  So why try?  Turn it UP and have some fun WITH them!  Trust me, life’s better that way.  The whole vibe is pretty damn irresistible when it comes right down to it, and once again, the band shows us that they’re all unified in the vision they have for the sound they want by the way that they play this tune so tightly together.  Bonus points probably go to the guitar from Parker and Bobby in this particular cut, who are playing absolutely lights-out and supply ya with a stellar solo in the mix as well, but there’s no doubt that they’re essentially all killin’ it.  With no discernible weak points, Many Minds is clearly in great shape.  Excellent rhythm section in the bass & drums, and vocals that are a major asset through the melody and personality on display – I think it’s more than fair to say that this band has got all the right pieces they need to succeed.  Thinking about where they’re already at in such a short amount of time in the greater context of a career, Many Minds has definitely got the opportunity, skill, sound & material that will carry them far into the future ahead.

Find out more about Many Minds from their official site at:  https://music.manymindsband.com/manyminds

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