Album Review: Mission of Burma – “Unsound”

Mission of Burma have officially passed the point where you can dismiss them as “reunited.” Their second life has lasted more than twice as long as their original run, and, with the release of Unsound, they’ve now released twice as many albums as they did the first time around.

The problem with most bands that have multiple decade runs (or reunite and keep releasing new albums) is that the quality just keeps going downhill. How many times have you heard that ________’s new album is their best since ________ and it marks a true return to form only to have it be even more mellow and dull than the last one they churned out? Any worries of that befalling Mission of Burma is dispelled right off the start with “Dust Devil,” which starts so abruptly you’ll go back to make sure your music player of choice is working properly. It features the perfect blend of aggression, funk, and discordance that marks classic Mission of Burma. That’s not to say that there is any song formula at work here. “This Is Hi-Fi” is one of the band’s most experimental songs to date with chanting and spoken word blending over each other and a building wall of noise until it eventually erupts into controlled chaos.

What truly differentiates Mission of Burma from most bands experiencing a second life is it doesn’t feel like a cash grab. They still have something to say and they are having a blast during their live shows. Definitely check out their website , grab Unsound (currently $4.99 through Amazon downloads), and watch a live performance of “Dust Devil” and check out upcoming tour dates below:

Mission of Burma Tour Dates

8/3 -Brooklyn,NY: CelebrateBrooklynw/Wild Flag & Ted Leo

8/11 -Wellfleet,MA: The Beachcomber

9/7 -PhiladelphiaPA: Union Transfer

9/8 -Washington,DC: Black Cat

9/13 -Houston,TX: Fitzgerald’s

9/14 -Denton,TX: Dan’s Silverleaf

9/15 -Austin,TX: Antone’s

9/26 -Milwaukee,WI: Shank Hall

9/27 -Minneapolis,MN: 400 Bar

9/28 -Madison,WI: High Noon Saloon

9/29 -Chicago,IL: Lincoln Hall

11/30 -Rye, East SussexUK: ATP 2012