Mongrel: Better Than Heavy

Editorial

Release date: 4 April 2009 (Liborator)
Overtly political bands like Mongrel provide a moral dilemma. While we may agree with what they're saying, do we support their saying it? Mongrel have been savaged for being simplistic, irrelevant and naive. According to critics, we all know that wars are bad and politicians are crooks, so it's patronising for Mongrel to repeat that information. Perhaps it is, but is it more patronising than bands offering up yet another love song? Pop ballads for the last century have only had one topic, and the last 30 years have been especially monotonous. After decades of R&B love songs was it patronising for Ashanti to release The Way That I Love You? Yes, but nobody in the press burned her over it. So why has Mongrel's release attracted such vitriol?

Of course, it's not just about content. Crazy in Love was hardly a lyrical revolution, but it was great music. Better Than Heavy is not great music, though some of it is very good. It's a strange mix of psychedelic rock from members of Babyshambles and Arctic Monkeys, laced with verses from a host of British rappers, with as many nods to Pink Floyd as to hip-hop. The rap contributions, though, are well-constructed and sometimes brilliant, especially from main rapper Lowkey and female MCs Pariz 1 and Tor Cesay. Really it's the repetitive, sung choruses that labour obvious points, and provide the opening for Mongrel's critics.

'What do they know?', ask these critics. They're just rock stars. They should stop preaching and sit down. Get back to wailing falsettos in sparkly jumpsuits. And no, Mongrel don't offer any huge insight into the problems of the modern world. Nor do they furnish us with plans to solve these problems. But is it so terrible for consumers to hear messages about equality and humane behaviour more than once? Is it really better to play them yet another 'oooh baby, I miss you' ballad? At least reminders keep these issues in people's minds. And given how bad humans are at being decent to each other, it seems we need all the reminders we can get.

Tracks
1. Barcode
2. Lies
3. Hit From the Morning Sun
4. Off the Leas
5. The Menace
6. Act Like That
7. Julian
8. Better than Heavy
9. Better Them than Us
10. Alphabet Assassins
11. All Your Ever Afters

Geoff Lemon, June 2009
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