Album Review – The Mutants, Your Desert My Mind

The Mutants are a constantly changing all star musical collective with a core trio of Chris Constantinou, best known for his work with Marco Pirroni in The Wolfmen and with Adam Ant, The Damned‘s legendary drummer Rat Scabies and Paul Frazer, from heavyweight electronic acts Black Futures and Subsource. This time they have brought in a disreputable set of American artists to appear on Your Desert My Mind, including members of The Eagles of Death Metal, Masters of Reality, Mojave Lords and the Dandy Warhols. This is The Mutants third album, it follows on from The Rhythm and Punk Review, which featured an all star cast of UK ska and punk musicians, and Tokyo Nights, that assembled the cream of Japan’s underground bands, this time it appears they have headed off into the Californian desert for this latest release.

The journey into the desert has steered The Mutants off the highway and into yet another drastically different musical direction, this is a more of a heavy bluesy affair, with heavy traces of mescaline and the American alternative scene in it’s DNA, these elements sit happily alongside the influences and style that the core trio of The Mutants bring to the album. From the opening chords that kick off this journey in fine style, this is largely a dark intoxicated trip into the Mojave desert, my personal favourites are the title track and superb Machismo Postura, but for me Your Desert My Mind isn’t an album that’s about individual tracks, it’s best appreciated as a complete work. This is an album that takes you on a dark and mind expanding trip through the desert, and believe me you want to be along for the ride.

If you were expecting The Mutants to resemble an amalgamation of their core members past glories then you’ll be in for a surprise, The Mutants are not happy to tread water and live off their collective back catalogue, that would certainly be a tempting and easier option, but they have made the decision to make a drastically different album from anything any of them has previously created. Every album from this band has a different musical flavour that reflects the territory, and the style of the musicians that contributed to the album, and Your Desert My Mind is no exception to this pattern. Rancho De La Luna, where this album was recorded, seems to exert an influence on those that record there, if you are in any way a fan of the bands that have graced this album, or of the numerous bands that have recorded at this remote outpost, then you’ll want to explore Your Desert My Mind.

Your Desert My Mind is an album that is definitely a product of it’s environment, this is certainly not the album you’d expect from the combination of Chris Constantinou, Rat Scabies and Paul Frazer, it’ so much better than that. I can’t wait to see where The Mutants are headed for their next album, based on their three offerings to date it will undoubtedly be something that will head off into previously unexplored musical territory, and hopefully I’ll be hitching a ride.

Your Desert My Mind will be released on the 14th October and can be pre-ordered from iTunes