Fronted by the somewhat unfortunately named Shirley Lee, Spearmint are one of the few truly "indie" bands, sorting out the producing and designing for themselves. This lends their first proper album a pleasing quality that is half slapdash schoolboy enthusiasm, half obstinate loner spirit. The heavy Motown and Northern Soul influences hinted at in the first two tracks burst out all over the exuberant "Sweeping The Nation", a tribute to all the bands who never made it. The lyrics are pure look-on-the-bright-side philosophy, although this doesn't stop a couple of more melancholy gems from sneaking in (the sweet "A Third Of My Life" and the ambitious "You Are Still My Brother"). Shamelessly stealing from the Style Council and even New Order in places, and throwing in the occasional obscenity (skip "Start Again" if you're easily offended), Spearmint are sometimes haphazard but always endearing. --Sarah Brinig
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