Reviewed by Alex Figgis

Unique in sound, superbly executed and produced, 'Red' is an admirable second album for a band worthy of investigation. The Mustard Seeds' sound is cut from the same cloth that bands such as PFR, King's X. Galactic Cowboys and Blame Lucy use. As dynamic as King's X in terms of both emotional and musical vision, The Mustard Seeds write intelligent and witty lyrics that challenge and inspire the listening into seeking and understanding the various subjects explored within 'Red', simultaneously creating rich musical soundscapes that engage the imagination. The Mustard Seeds open their latest set of compositions with the hook laden hard-edged groove of 'Sylvia Beams', a standard that the rest of the material herein easily both realises and maintains throughout. Both 'Alabama' (complete with samples of Martin Luther King) and 'Way Of The World' (a sub-metal piece concerned with man's fallen nature) are but two further examples of the band's prolific songwriting and musical capabilities. Overall a diverse, yet focused set of finely-crafted art that blows off much of what has been released in recent years.

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