Album review: Mere Mortals

“YES!” was my first thought after sliding the Mere Mortals album, Rebel Radio, into my CD player. As Los Angeles native who works in the music industry when I’m not attending law school; I am inundated with music, most of which is just . . . bad. So when a band like Mere Mortals makes an album I actually listen to straight through without skipping tracks, I know I have found a gem in the bag of rocks.

Mere Mortals has a big sound — the kind of big that conjures up images of large amplifier stacks and fuzz boxes in Hyde Park. The band’s influences are obviously British, channeling acts like: The Beatles, Oasis, The Rolling Stones, The Verve and T.Rex. Beyond the British rock royalty, the song “13th Floor” channels Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky,” and “All the Rumors” plucks a subtle acoustic guitar akin to Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind,” while incorporating a Travis-esque melody. The songs’ subjects contrast sunny days with thoughts of hard life, one’s dying day, and the master of the underworld. In other words, Rebel Radio is the perfect soundtrack for L.A. hipsters cruising with the convertible top down.

Mere Mortals has already gotten some local attention on Indie 103.1, KROQ, and various college radio stations, in addition to national coverage in magazines like Filter. In addition, Mere Mortals is the only unsigned band with on FMQB’s SubModern charts, with Rebel Radio at number three and two singles at number sixteen.

I would not be surprised to hear further acclaims regarding Mere Mortals in the future. What’s more, the band has achieved all its success on its own, and to have a great indie band like Mere Mortals on the radio is truly rebellious in itself.

To purchase a copy of Rebel Radio, as well as find out about upcoming shows, visit the Mere Mortals’ website at www.meremortalsmusic.com.