Mock Orange

Mock Orange: Nines & SixesNines & Sixes (1998)
Lobster Records

Reviewer Rating: 4.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: patberg12patberg12
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on January 5th 2010Nines & Sixes, Mock Orange's debut album really plays into what I like to hear: fast indie rock with loud, prominent guitars, sensational drumming and driving bass. The intricate guitar work on the album really lets you enjoy their playing without being so overbearing that you get tired of the mu.

Nines & Sixes, Mock Orange's debut album really plays into what I like to hear: fast indie rock with loud, prominent guitars, sensational drumming and driving bass.

The intricate guitar work on the album really lets you enjoy their playing without being so overbearing that you get tired of the music, and the vocals are completely different from their newer material, but when I go back to listen to this CD I hear a hungrier band with nonetheless high aspirations.

"Growing Crooked" is a standout, starting with a powerful ringing of power chords bursting with anticipation for more. Ryan Grisham's vocal drone is almost emo-esque with supporting harmonies, a shape-shift to his signatare sound of teenage angnst he had with this album. "We Work" starts with my favourite riff on the album and just builds with call-and-response guitar work. The lyrical content is melancholy but it puts the point across.

"Does It Show" is my favourite song on the CD thanks to the vocal harmony and its slowed melodic hardcore punk mixed with Jimmy Eat World guitar work groove, and the most inventive drumming I have ever heard from this style of music. This song is flawless and delivers so well.

"Window Shopping" has airy, over-your-head guitar in the intro and peaks and drops into a building vocal line and then bursts back at you with flawless instrumentation.

This album is a must for any true Mock Orange fan, or any fan of music at all. I have tried to find things wrong with this album but cannot. The way this album makes you tap your toe and play air guitar, it is a true underground classic. Hopefully this review will make you check this band out and tell all of your friends so they can share you and I's perspective on this great album.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

icapped2pac (January 8, 2010)

"This is one of the few bands I would back on the whole "play your old albums live in their entirety" thing. If they were to play this or The Record Play live at shows I would travel for that"

This x100,000,000

Blackjaw_ (January 7, 2010)

Hey, it's Lieutenant Roast A Botch. Re-add me on Soulseek man, name is still Blackjaw. I got a new computer and lost all the people on my list.

Happy_Friend (January 7, 2010)

Nines and Sixes has aged like fine wine.

LieutenantRoastABotch (January 7, 2010)

This is one of the few bands I would back on the whole "play your old albums live in their entirety" thing. If they were to play this or The Record Play live at shows I would travel for that.

shitsfucked (January 6, 2010)

so underreated/incredible

mycombat (January 6, 2010)

most underrated band ever. Tell your friends and buy all their records. They changed the way i thought about music.

name (January 6, 2010)

i hate the term "criminally underrated" but these guys deserve it. now if only they'd tour down south...

14theroad (January 5, 2010)

Mike. What were you waiting for? It's been out for 12 years.

thepopeofchili-town (January 5, 2010)

This shit rules! Surprised it hadn't been reviewed until now.

AllAgesPete (January 5, 2010)

fucking killer album. thank you for reviewing this.

icapped2pac (January 5, 2010)

"Hands down one of my all time favorite records. This album changed how I looked at guitar playing."

I've heard great bass players say the same thing about bass. It didn't really change anything for me other than knowing I could never play drums even close to this well...or creatively. This album has the perfect mix of mathy, fast, and melodic elements. When I listen to it, half of me (OK, maybe closer to 51%) is pissed off they just had to completely abandon this sound, and the other half thinks that after this and the second album (which was good in its own right) I can understand why they wouldn't want to re-tread and perhaps tarnish what they had already created. In any case, take it from this old man that all of you kids should give this shit a chance. I especially recommend listening to "All You Have" (track 6) as loud as possible to get yourself started.

thesandwiches (January 5, 2010)

also one of my all time favorite records.

mikexdude (January 5, 2010)

This review really doesn't do this album justice, but I don't think any review will.

mikexdude (January 5, 2010)

NONONONONONONOOONONONONONONONONON I WAS GOING TO REVIEW THIS.

Hands down one of my all time favorite records. This album changed how I looked at guitar playing.

Spooky (January 5, 2010)

One of the best indie albums, ever..

greg0rb (January 5, 2010)

One of my favorite albums of all time. Life-changing.