It must be hard keeping things fresh for a revivalist band. Sure, Numbers offers something slightly different from the others, and they certainly seem to have more fun than the average band. At least they did on their debut album, Life. But it's been two years now since the music scene pillaged Gang of Four's style. Once confrontational and notorious for their jagged guitars, funky bass-lines, political rants, and original songs, Gang of Four's legacy has been tarnished with band after band who blatantly steals from their post-punk handbook.
In My Mind All the Time has its moments, particularly when it strays from the band's modus operandi of punk funk. The song "Feelings" has a thick organ introduction that slowly gives way to a heavy, yet melodic instrumental piece. This is something different than the straight ahead punk funk that is prevalent on most of the album's 11 other tracks. Numbers' almost Kraut-rock groove is noticeably a new direction for the trio and is quite possibly one aspect of the album that could have been explored further.
What remains, though, are tired, angry vocals courtesy of Indra Dunis, which decidedly sound less energetic and more "run-of-the-mill" than we've heard in the past. With other artists in the genre such as Erase Errata, The Rogers Sisters, and a host of others, the post-punk sound simply cannot be as enjoyable as it was a few years ago. For Numbers to stay above the fray, they can't continue to tread the same ground that was already forged 25 years ago by its originators. However, unlike most of the current revivalists I've mentioned here, I believe Numbers have the ability to be one of the few that could perhaps move ahead with the times.
In My Mind All the Time has its moments, particularly when it strays from the band's modus operandi of punk funk. The song "Feelings" has a thick organ introduction that slowly gives way to a heavy, yet melodic instrumental piece. This is something different than the straight ahead punk funk that is prevalent on most of the album's 11 other tracks. Numbers' almost Kraut-rock groove is noticeably a new direction for the trio and is quite possibly one aspect of the album that could have been explored further.
What remains, though, are tired, angry vocals courtesy of Indra Dunis, which decidedly sound less energetic and more "run-of-the-mill" than we've heard in the past. With other artists in the genre such as Erase Errata, The Rogers Sisters, and a host of others, the post-punk sound simply cannot be as enjoyable as it was a few years ago. For Numbers to stay above the fray, they can't continue to tread the same ground that was already forged 25 years ago by its originators. However, unlike most of the current revivalists I've mentioned here, I believe Numbers have the ability to be one of the few that could perhaps move ahead with the times.
1. Go to Show
2. Disease
3. Drunk With Pain
4. Hot Fire
5. Dance Attack
6. Waiting
7. Anything
8. We're Numbers
9. I Will Smile More
10. Product Lust
11. Obsessed
12. Feelings
More about: Numbers
