The Mean Times
After seven drummers, three bassists, three lead guitarists and one front man arguably at the root of all this dysfunction, Melbourne 4-piece, The Mean Times are finally back with a settled line-up and a renewed focus.
The Mean Times’ sound is an amalgamation of infectious high-energy, melodious rock and roll, and Good God Almighty fun-times. It’s a pastiche of indie cool, sharp riffs, scuzzy laden confident rock and catchy pop choruses, all delivered with a side serve of tongue in cheek lyrics and a hell of a lot of swagger.
With each of their tracks punchy, energetic and intoxicating, their shows and recordings all emit a lively energy and spirit, with a purposeful stride and focus. With all their songs coincidentally clocking in around the very radio-friendly three and a half minute mark, the band has certainly honed the craft of how to economise each song into a wham-bam-thank-you-Ma’am bite-sized package of sonic fun.
Obviously children of the 90s, The Mean Times have taken the best bits of post-grunge power-pop, Brit-pop and Australia’s Triple J heroes of the same era, then thrown in a touch of old school rock and roll, to create their own brand of quirky, everyday-man’s rock. Their musical inspiration comes from the likes of You Am I, The Fauves, Pixies, Queens of the Stone Age, Weezer, Regurgitator, Rolling Stones, Blur, Custard and Pavement.