The Mynabirds – Generals
Categories : Folk + Roots, Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
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Rating: 3 / 5 Reviewer: Shannon King |
Introducing a bit of girl power without the chunky knee high boots, union jack mini-skirts and leopard print onesies. Lead by Laura Burhenn, The Mynabirds sophomore album, Generals, is about revolution, feminism and peace.
The tracks are a bit all over the place and shouldn’t work together, but do. The strange and mellow ‘Karma Debt’ kicks off the album with strong political messaging. Burhenn shared her experience writing this album with Interview Magazine: “When I was setting out to write this album that was political in nature, I thought about all of the artists who have been criticized for raising their voice and speaking out about anything other than a broken heart.” In and around the middle of the album is the sweet, somber ‘Mightier Than the Sword’, a sad ballad about friendship and support. Finally, placed perfectly at the end, is ‘Greatest Revenge’, a ‘60s pop-inspired love song that conjures up images of ice cream shops and poodle skirts.
So not only is this female pop album without the manufactured alter egos, it isn’t about a bad breakup, a cheating boyfriend or white girl problems either. A mixture of soul, gospel, country and infused with a dash of electronica, it’s super fresh with a bit of grit. Generals is sincere, filled with strong feminist values and truly embraces the idea of revolution in the music and lyrics.
