The Amazing Adventures Of

The second album from Navan’s unusually monikered Minty & The Freshmen comes with a very impressively designed gatefold sleeve - a ten-page, full colour, comic strip with a science fiction theme. This strip opens in a Navan pub and swiftly proceeds to outer space (which is actually pretty much how I remember my last visit to a Navan pub). Exactly what it all has to do with their music – which is basically a mellow mix of soft rock and blessed-out funk – is anybody’s guess. Still, ten out of ten for presentation.
It’s just a shame that they didn’t put as much time and effort into the production. Some of these 11 songs sound like they were recorded in a hayshed. The vocals are rarely intelligible - though whether that’s down to the recording, the Navan accent or just the frontman’s (presumably his name is Minty) style of singing is debatable. Either way, I couldn’t make out what he was on about.
However, it’s not a total case of bad breath. I was all set to write Minty and his Freshmen off as amateur demo-peddlers but, fortunately for them, I fell asleep with this album on repeat. At some point during the night, their amazing adventures downloaded into my brain and now I can’t seem to shake them off.
The musicianship isn’t remarkable, but their imaginative use of brass and congas really lifts the whole sound. It’s not so much fresh as oddly familiar. At times, it sounds like the soundtrack to a spaghetti western or a mafia or private detective movie. Their smooth cover of ‘Love Boat’ isn’t bad either.
Not everybody will get these Navanmen’s eclectic style of groove, and (despite their sci-fi themed sleeve) I somehow doubt that they’re expecting world domination. Poor production aside, I actually quite liked this album. However, while I’d definitely go and see them live (at least once), I don’t think I’d ever shell out my hard-earned cash for it.