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Mint Condition has that really cool Minneapolis sound. The musicianship is top shelf, and their sound is accessible, but unique enough to be interesting. They have a vocal mix that has elements of the Ohio Players (funky) and the old Fifth Dimension (classic). Their first record Meant To Be Mint fell flat on marketing issues, and they've been paying dues for years. One of the strongest soul acts of the '90s, Mint Condition had hits like "Breakin' My Heart" and You Send Me Swinging." They never really crossed over. E-Life adds some outside artists and focuses on more mature (adult) themes. It's a very effective combination. The opener is all about parenting. Lest that be a buzz kill, it also features neo-soul giant, Anthony Hamilton. "Give it up for my little baby girl/boy" is a sentiment to which most folks of a "certain age" can relate. It's also a Father's Day easy shot. Hamilton's contribution is perfect. He sounds like one of the guys in the band, but brings a nice energy and soulful style. Mint lead singer Stokley Williams is the real deal, rather than being intimidated by Hamilton, he lets it flow. "Baby Boy, Baby Girl" is also the first single, and it should hit hard. On the duet that features Phonte (from Little Brother), he really shines. You gotta love the line "Baby, I was born at night, but it wasn't last night." "Somethin'" has a nice bossa feel, and the sophisticated jazz influence, and stylish horn charts, make the track very slick. The Stevie Wonder effect is strong, but it works. Like the Temps and the Tops, Mint Condition is really a vocal group, with equal emphasis on vocal and group. "Why Do We Try" features Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and sounds like a Temptations experimental demo. It has very little hit potential, but it may be the most interesting track on the record. There's a nice blend of samples and trance influences with straight-up funk rhythms. Vocally, it's exotic, and stretches limits in a provocative way. The modern jazz influences on the track are intense. The whole intro is a subtle sonic build into a string section theme. The piano and sax lines cascade. "The Queen Of Come Here Go Away" is reminiscent of 2005's comeback record Luxury. It has a classic modern R&B sound, with really interesting chords. This is very subtle and complex music. The independence of Caged Bird Records lets this quintet do things that really stretch the limits of pop music. This is a better record, with a more complete musical vocabulary, than you're expecting. Check it out. The vocals, the production, the arrangements, all offer a taste of something unexpected and refreshing. By Dave Morgan
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Formed in the early '80s in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Mint Condition began as lead singer Stokley Williams, guitarist Homer O'Dell, keyboardist Larry Waddell, keyboardist⁄saxophonist Jeff Allen, keyboardist⁄guitarist Keri Lewis, and guitarist⁄bassist Rick Kinchen. The six talented musicians combine a variety of influences and experiences to shape their own sound. Williams began playing classic West African instruments at the age of four, while O'Dell grew up listening to his father play blues bass and singing with him in a family group. Waddell played in a recording arts band at school and mastered keyboards by listening to jazz greats Oscar Peterson and Herbie Hancock. Exposed to his father's extensive jazz collection, Allen played keyboards and sax in local bands throughout his high-school years, as Lewis was mastering keyboards, percussion, and guitar while attending school. Kinchen's first and strongest influence was his family, all of whom played instruments and encouraged his interest in music. He developed his skills as a bass player by listening to records by Stanley Clarke and Louis Johnson of the Brothers Johnson. Kinchen played in various bands in his native Chicago and performed at several productions at Kennedy-King College before moving to the Twin Cities. The band was featured at the 1986 Minnesota Black Musician Awards program and built a strong core following for itself in a five-state area (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Dakota, and Nebraska) as a result of its dazzling, highly energetic live shows. Mint Condition came to the attention of Minneapolis soul producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis as a result of a showcase performance in 1989. The band had steady success beginning with the hits "(Breaking My Heart) Pretty Brown Eyes" and "Forever in Your Eyes" from its debut, Meant to Be Mint, and with "Nobody Does It Betta" and "(U Send Me) Swinging" from its second album, From the Mint Factory; the group continued with the platinum success of the single "What Kind of Man Would I Be" from its gold album Definition of a Band. Going into the 21st century, Mint Condition were the only high-profile R&B⁄pop band with a major-label recording, represented by their excellent Life's Aquarium, issued in November 1999. Throughout the early 2000s, their profile wasn't nearly as high, but their core following remained and developed along with a sporadically released but consistently high-quality series of albums, including Livin' the Luxury Brown (2005), Live from the 9:30 Club (2006), and E-Life (2008). ~ Ed Hogan, All Music Guide Information provided by Macrovision Corporation © 2009. All Rights Reserved.
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