Mighty, Mighty, Misheard Love Songs - album review

First, Birmingham 80s indie stars Mighty Mighty returned with a four-track EP, released on Berlin's Firestation Records, to tease us.

The album cover is the same as with the taster EP

And now the longer 11-song album version is also out.

It's their first original material recorded in more than 30 years since their initial split in the late 80s after a single full-length release - Sharks.

One of the acts included on the much-loved and revered NME C86 cassette that was released in May 1986 - Primal Scream, The Mighty Lemon Drops, Half Man Half Biscuit and The Wedding Present also made the cut - they had a brief but successful dalliance with fame after impressing John Peel.

But now they've decided to return with this mostly-new release laid down at Muthers in Digbeth.

It's been a real journey over the past three years to get it done. They've recorded when they can. Members have battled illness. And there has been a great deal of loss.

The Geoghegan brothers - Mick and Pete - lost their mother having also seen their father pass away during the recording of Sharks in 1987. Then, Hugh McGuinness and Russell Burton both lost their fathers. But they persevered.

The tracks Everything, Weather Girl, Lying To You and Where Would I Be? were covered in the original EP review. So we should focus on the others here.

Of these, the best might be The Invention Of Love. The cheeky chappy vibe through the swinging piano and the swaggering guitars are the perfect accompaniment for McGuinness’ deep vocals. It sounds like something from the soundtrack of the original The Sims franchise games. A cocked head nod towards happy suburbia.

The pained guitars of Just Me manage to convey both pain and hopefulness as the song slides from one extreme to the other.

While The Smiths soothe through our minds in the jangling and upbeat Stupid Little Things. One of the album’s more full-throttle moments it combines fun and frivolity with ease. Another front runner for the album’s best track.

There’s also the saloon swagger of Forgettable. Listen to this with a glass of your favourite poison at hand.

Not everything works, but these guys still know how to write songs together. Their devout fans will be delighted to see them back.

Rating: 6/10

Mighty Mighty will play their home venue The Hare & Hounds in King's Heath on October 16. Tickets are available here. For more details on the band, follow @MightyMighty_on Twitter or @mightymightyofficial on Facebook.