The Norberts - Mishmish ep (1989, Moon Cheese)

Not a whole lot of background on this quartet, hailing presumably from the suburban Boston area. The Norberts' Mishmish, or alternately referenced as Mish-Mish in the sleeve notes, was something of an eBay gamble that paid off, sorta. The band saves the best for first, with the sprite, lead-off track, "Under My Feet," recalling such gnarly indie acts of the era like The Chills and The Mighty Lemon Drops. The Norberts press onward, eschewing some of their more tuneful inclinations in exchange for a colder, post-punk tact, not to mention feigned British accents that get old real quick. "Sacred Kow's" lyrical content, for example, is littered with collegiate drivel, but as a song it sure as hell beat the crap out of whatever the Fine Young Cannibals or Concrete Blonde were doing at the time, and if you ask me, that alone should warrant some praise. The Norberts redeem themselves with the lofty concluding track, "New Religion."

01. Under My Feet
02. Tin Tin
03. Two Critics
04. Sacred Kow
05. New Religion

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