The Meanies - "Rhyming Logic" 7"

The Meanies – “Rhyming Logic” 7”

Merge, 1993

Acquired: Love Garden Shotgun Room, Used, 2008

Price: $.25

 

Australian group The Meanies cut an intriguing line between indie rock and punk. This was their only release for Merge Records. It’s fun, and a little strange (“Darkside on My Mind” features random sound effects of a beer being opened and poured into a glass, a crying baby, and an A-Bomb exploding), and a little more raucous than I was expecting. Although, I was expecting ska, because I immediately associated this band with the Blue Meanies, natch. “Rhyming Logic” is the Meanies’ best offering, or maybe I’m biased because it hits the sweet spot in my heart that looks like a big, comic-booky button that reads “COLLEGE ROCK: PUSH IF YOU WANT IAN TO EXPERIENCE PURE JOY.” The guitars just sort of vibrate in a way that is immensely satisfying. Almost equally exciting as these excellent jams is the insert detailing the happenings at Merge in August ’93, when they were “releasing a new Lambchop (formerly known as Posterchild) single.” Lambchop before they were Lambchop! THRILLING! It’s like a time capsule! “Hopefully by this time, all you folks have heard/have/love the 3D’s ‘Beautiful Things’ single.” Yes! Great track (from a time when Merge was apparently doing a lot of exporting from Oceania)!

"Rhyming Logic"