Mind Spiders-- whose self-titled debut was conceived almost entirely by frontman Mark Ryan during downtime from his gig in the Denton, Tex., outfit Marked Men-- don't present themselves as a particularly careful or calculating act. Playing fast and loose, Mind Spiders exist in a universe where the Flaming Sideburns never crumbled under the weight of
garage rock revival excitement, where pulse-quickening legends Jay Reatard and (fellow Dirtnap Records alums) the Exploding Hearts never met their tragic ends. The songs on Mind Spiders are energetic but not in-your-face, fun but not goofy, sharp but not stifled, wild but not boorish. In essence, it's a rock record that pulls no punches, and it's all the more endearing because of it. Mind Spiders define their sound right out of the gate, sporting tightly-wound, zoetropic riffs that sound blasted from sand-filled amps. There's also a touch of B-movie fetishism thrown in-- sci-fi sound effects are not just fillers; they carry melodies, with mummy-movie organs and squiggly ray-gun feedback contributing some Plan 9 camp. Add a little glammy pomp and a healthy amount of the Ramones' bop, and you've got a ripping collection of songs.
