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Title: More catchy XTC-inspired pop
Review: One of the lesser-known acts in the Elephant 6 neo-pop stable, the Minders are America's answer to XTC, edgy pop that rests squarely in Lennon-McCartney land but with an occasional tendency to annoy. Fortunately, the latter tendency is largely absent on this album, their most consistent -- and most fully produced -- to date. Not every song bears repeating (particularly the more downbeat tracks later on the disc), but it offers a handful of hooks that will stick in your brain for weeks. The title track and the similar-sounding "Give Me Strength" will make any XTC fan cry ..."Hand on Heart" is a rollicking romp, and if "Right as Rain" isn't the catchiest song of the year, it's at least in the running.
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