Art Project is the third time lucky album for Detroit based group Mascott, with indie veteran Kendal Mead running the show. While she may have been going a while, to date this is her first UK release — and what a cute one it is. The first song, ‘Live Again’ is bringing back the “la la la’s” in a way the Kooks wish they’d thought of. Incredibly upbeat and sunny, it offers a decent sampling of what’s to come.
Each song is short and sweet, most being no more than two minutes long. The album in entirety is over in 25 minutes — but leaves you with an immediately improved mood and a smile on your face. The melodies are almost childlike with their perky outlook on life. It’s enough to make this reviewer want to put it on in her (imaginary) Winnebago when she takes all her friends on a (metaphoric) road trip through America’s country side, involving camping, singing around the fire, toasting of marshmallows and what-not.
Don’t get me wrong, it is not all sweetness and light. Kendall injects some sincerity and sadness with tracks like ‘Letting go of the Sun’ which ends in a crescendo of depressing “da da da’s”. Luckily Mascott brings the tempo back up with perky melodies like ‘Press Play (and then Repeat)’ and the song ‘Dream another Day’, which is almost too happy for it’s own good.
The final track on the album is bonus track ‘Oh Peggy, I’ especially for the UK version. This sprightly little daydream of a tune is a definite highlight and leaves its listener happy and possible a little sedate. It’s musical Prozac.
Words: Kat Nicholls