There was an interesting article on Pitchfork two days ago about the use of vintage images as cover art for a record, and the debate it sparks. While I’m sure the young men from Mean Wind could care less about the debate, the pink, purple and orange hues that date and cloud the image that adorns the cover of What Happens in Hingham Stays in Hingham says a lot about the latest project from the Halifax prodigies that concocted the most creative, infectious, noise filled sounds to come out of city lately.

 

On the surface, Mean Wind is a folk endeavor. Harmonies, psychedelic textures and gentle picking all float around the space, but without question the songs shine through the fog that is today’s folk scene. What makes the image so powerful is the lighthouse that stands tall on the cover isn’t a welcome to a protected cove, it’s a warning of crashing waves and rocks ahead. “Yr Swword” jump starts the EP with solid harmonies that take you back generations, but quirky vocal runs and tempo changes (which they use nicely on “Gleam Leaf Green” as well) show that the band refuses to cram their inspiration into the standard molds. Even when they use the most spare of arrangements, like the eerie “What Happens In Hingham Stays in Hingham”, the band filters a static through the sound that makes the whole affair seem even more remote and alienated.

 

The twenty minutes drift by at a casual pace, like a gentle Autumn breeze, but you still can feel the cold nip in the air. Instead of happily watching the colors change and soaking in the beauty of songs like “Pacific Leather”, you start bracing for the Winter (“Coming Down the Mountain”), pull your collar tight and get ready for the storms ahead. As always, the music is free and as always, it’s something you need to hear right now. Grab it while you can.

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MP3:: Mean Wind – Coming Down the Mountain

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MP3:: Mean Wind – Gleam Leaf Green
WEB:: http://meanwind.bandcamp.com