THE MURAL AND THE MINT show off their private parts.

Michael Kiley is a ballsy kind of guy. His lets his voice wail when you expect it to be soft and he believes that music needs to be available to everyone, at no cost. He’s been dedicated to making The Mural and the Mint’s music available for free since the band’s inception about two years ago. Private Pockets is the full-length follow up to their debut EP, Caterpillar-Cocoon-Butterfly.

Though technically a trio, Kiley makes Private Pockets, well, very private. He tackles the toils of marriage, fatherhood, and vulnerability over the course of the eight songs. Eliza Jones’ piano and vocals definitely sweeten the sound, and Jack McBrearty’s guitars add unpredictable noise that mimics the drone of underwater animals and string instruments.

Once you get past Kiley’s sometimes nasally, theatrical vocals, Private Pockets is pretty fun to listen to. Since every track is so different, the first listen is truly a unique experience. Each song climaxes like a short story with a serious twist in the plot. The additional female vocals (Jones) provide the balance needed to make some of the shrilling songs tolerable.

Private Pockets is a collection of dramatic little pop songs that fans of Belle & Sebastian or The Decemberists might enjoy. Best of all? Private Pockets is free! Don’t think you’ll dig it? The beautiful hand sewn album art is alone worth the trip to their website.

www.themuralandthemint.com

About Kate Dawes

Kate is a teacher in Philadelphia, PA. She's crafty as hell and can bake circles around you. She lives with a Wild African Dog named Lennon.