By: David de Young
 Mutt at the 400 Bar - Photo by David de Young (click for larger version) |
Members: Photo gallery from this show |
Mutt had been hounding me for more than a month to come to one of their shows and do one of these glorified blog-style write-ups I've taken to calling "reviews." Actually, I'd been looking forward to the opportunity, not only because I wanted the chance to make the dumb hound/mutt pun I started this review with, but because the MP3's I'd downloaded from their website site last month were remarkably likeable, listenable and fun tunes.
The number of unsolicited emails I get from bands asking me to come see them never ceases to surprise me. I've gotten requests as simple and uninformed as messages with a venue and a date in the subject and "can you make this?" as the message body (unsigned no less.) But Mutt's bassist, Joe Warner's approach was personable, courteous and professional and gave them the extra help they needed to bump themselves up on my priority list. That, of course, and I liked their music. The good news is, after seeing them for the first time Thursday, I find myself wishing I hadn't waited so long.
I love going to see local bands I know I'll enjoy reviewing. (For one thing, I don't need to worry about backlash if the band isn't quite my bag.) Even if Mutt had put on a lousy show Thursday, I'm sure I would still have had good things to say about their pleasant mix of pop, funk and blues. Mutt combines several key elements of being a good band: great songs, entertaining and practiced stage presence, and a certain magnetism. (It's just plain hard not to root for a band when you look up on the stage and see people whose company you think you might enjoy.)
After seeing a full set, I conclude that I have a bias that leans towards their pop stuff ("Numb," "On my Sleeve"), though their funky, groovy stuff ("Pity Machine," "Stupid Beautiful") is commendable also. (All four referenced songs can be heard on their website.) Mutt's pop songs take me back to a simpler day in alterna-pop music in the late 70's and early 80's (scarily enough when I was in high school and this whole band was just being born.) Obscure "old" stuff like the Records and the Brains and the Plimsouls that I doubt these guys have even heard of. But it was passionate pop that you relate too on an emotional level even if the stories the songs tell don't quite fit your life. Joe Warner told me after the show that like most bands, Mutt alters their set list to cater to the audience and the other bands on the bill which would explain the emphasis on the more classic and bluesy stuff Thursday. (Opener's Universal Intelligence had a casual CCR, Pink Floyd-style classic feel to them at times, and though I left shortly after headliner's Mr. Sticky started, they also seemed lean a little towards the classic rock side with a bit of a jam band feel along similar lines to UI, but much more practiced.)
Mutt's pop songs (and their funky, bluesy numbers too) don't really break any new ground, but they are still a welcome extension of the existing pop/funk and roll canon. The main thing is that these are better quality songs than a lot of the crap I hear on a far too regular basis. (What you start with clearly has a huge impact on what you end up with!) I like the way several Mutt songs end with surprises in the same vein that George Thorogood's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" ends with a bit that could really be a completely separate song.
From that long-winded introduction, here's a rundown of the actual show (if you're still with me.)
Mutt got right into it at about 10:05 with a funky, bluesy song called "Living Dead" ala Loggins & Messina's "Mama Don't Dance and Your Papa Don't Rock and Roll." My absolute first impression of Mutt live was that these guys are really good for such a young (and young looking) band. All four band members contribute to the band's pleasant harmonies, and they're surprisingly funky for a bunch of white guys. The song ended with some head to head axe work by the two guitarists, Matt Zubrzycki and Mitch Bullard.
"Slow Suicide" was next, a medium tempo song not on their album or website. The song moves forward with a thumping bass and seeming 70's influence (Boston before they sucked, maybe?) The rock star grimaces on the two guitar players and their backwards pseudo-orgasmic arching while soloing might have been overkill at times, but it's somehow forgivable as it seems part of the fun rather than self-indulgent pretension. Mutt gets away with this feigned attitude stuff because the music is good enough, and it somehow fits with the musical style. If it didn't, believe me, it would look stupid. I thought they'd segued into a new song, but it was just a changeup in the ending, perhaps a trademark of Zubrzycki's songwriting style.
Joe Warner's solid and proficient bass started the next song, "Stupid/Beautiful" (This one you can check out on their website.) The song featured an extended Harmonica solo by Zubrzycki, who then encouraged a sing-a-long for the next song, "Waiting For?" on the simple chorus "What are you waiting for?" As he stuck his tongue out at one point ala the Rolling Stones trademark I smiled a good smile. Fans in the back of the room did actually sing along to this one
Audible cheers of recognition welcomed the next song "On My Sleeve. I more than encourage you to download at least this song from their MP3 site and listen to it and tell me if you don't agree these guys have got a great pop vibe going on. Zubrzycki had a good trick for encouraging people to sign up on the Mutt mailing list, laying the list right up at the edge of the stage with a CD on it, saying the first person to sign up got a free copy.
The next song was a slow one with a long instrumental part. (The set list indicates it was called "When I'm Gone.") For me, it made for a good bathroom break. It was still precociously sweet, and easily digested despite being derivative. This is a versatile band that would be thoroughly enjoyed for any occasion, a wedding, a party, etc. yet they still more than hold their own in the original rock club scene.
The next song "Going Blind" found the band rocking back out. This song, however, did little if anything for me. Heads were still nodding along attentively in the audience, but eek, this was a long song, kind of like White Cherry's "Play that Funky Music White Boy" but never breaking out of its shell like that song does. Finally it segued into a fairly reverent version of the Beatles' "Come Together." Still, something was needed to bring it back around.
Zubrzycki was looking more and more like a young Springsteen as he got sweatier. Drummer Joe Grieman continued just happily doing his job on the drum platform. The set started to come back around with the groovy "Pity Machine" which you can hear on their MP3 site.
Mutt is a band that clearly enjoys playing, and is therefore fun to watch despite not having any remarkable stage antics. Bassist Joe Warner caught second guitarist Mitch Bullard's eye and a quick smile crossed his face. I think all four of these guys knew this was going well. Suddenly, the song slowed, and the down tempo shift which built up again as they headed for the end of the set lifted them graceful of their brief slump and made for a good finish. The conclusion of the last song left me wanting to hear another one and at least one person in the back hollering for one more.
That was it though. And the bar was nicely packed now for Mr. Sticky.
Location Info:
400 Bar
Artist Info: Mutt
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