Mission of Burma’s recording and performance efforts from the late 1970s and early 1980s have long been an invaluable influence for what has become indie and alternative music. The band’s decision to get back together in 2002 has given music lovers a unique opportunity to witness history in the making. More than thirty years after the initial formation of Mission of Burma, the band is still more excited and enthusiastic about what they are doing than most of their younger peers. With their latest release, Unsound (Fire Records), they hammer this point home by offering up another raw and powerful album buoyed by a set of catchy songs at its core.
Unsound is a largely rough album, but the roughness is a big part of its charm. Mission of Burma sounds best with unpolished facets. Many of these songs are ragged around the edges and will be considered by some to be under-produced. But taken in the context of the band’s heritage, imperfections in the songs of Unsound make the record more convincing and honest. Higher production emphasis would seem insincere. Instead of trying to force their album into a certain style of production, Mission of Burma does what comes naturally, employing rough mixes as vehicles of expression.
Even if you find the raw nature of Unsound distracting, the structure of the album will make it easily listenable. The record is centered around a strong core of two catchy songs, “Second Television” and “Part of the Sea.” Having a couple of poppy songs in the middle of the album gives it a sense of cohesiveness and acts as a fulcrum for the raucous beginning and the ending where the band finds their groove. The album finishes strong. “7’s” and “Opener,” two more of the albums best cuts, round out the track list. Even if you get lost in some of the tracks, these mid-record and late-record pairings of songs will rein you in and leave you feeling excited when the music stops.
It’s a rare treat to be able to watch a band reunite and make music relevant in the context of their past catalog and also in the context of contemporary music. Watching Mission of Burma has been an even bigger treat, as they have accomplished the feat several times over. Unsound is just the latest example. If you can embrace the roughness of Unsound, you will be able to see the other jewels that Mission of Burma has to offer with their latest effort.
