Singles Going Single #20 - The Wondermints 7" (1993, Pop Psycle)

While I ca't give you a firsthand account, I can tell you that Los Angeles had a thriving, renaissance of an indie/power pop scene in the mid to late '90s. Some of the crème de la crème included The Andersons, Cockeyed Ghost, Sugarplastic, Baby Lemonade, and the slightly conspicuous Negro Problem, but if I were to boil it down to one band that was representative of that era, The Wondermints would probably be my band of choice. Pristine and polished as they were, the 'mints had an incredible sense of integrity and quality control. Their debut single on what would appear to be their own label, Pop Psycle, is the best of both whirls, as one might say. The a-side, "Proto-Pretty" was timeless enough to even be enshrined on a Rhino Records power pop anthology. It's flip-side, "Silly Place" is just as golden, as was their self-titled album that followed this single. That album is out of print but relatively easy to hunt down. In short, whether you're an established fan, or if you're here for your first spin, you're in for a major treat.

A. Proto-Pretty
B. Silly Place

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