Label: Lunch Lady Records

Producer: Stephanie St. John and Nik Chinboukas

Release Date: 2004

Have you heard that saying 'a rose among the thorns'? My mother used to mention it when I'd bring a girlfriend home for the first time. She'd say "Now you need to look after her... she's a rose among the thorns!" Well, I never imagined applying that saying to an artist and of course, it was one of the first things that sprung to mind when I first heard Stephanie St. John sing. That was before 250 Times Sweeter Than Sugar arrived on the scene and I can now apply it to the entire album! When you consider what it takes to make a bloody good album stand out these days, you have to admire the thinking behind it, the compositions, the musicians involved, the production team.. and in the case of Mimi Ferocious.. we really do have 'Rose(s) among thorns'. Excellent songs require excellent musicians, fed by excellent recording and production skills.. all the right ingredients to make the entire effort 'stand out' and believe me, this album really does stand out!

250 Times Sweeter Than Sugar does not cause tooth decay, in fact, if anything, this album revitalizes and refreshes the parts that many other albums in the pop/rock genre fail to reach! Like a slowly and seductively unbuttoned tight blouse, this album opens up a whole bunch of startling surprises. Tupperware Sky begins to excite the hearing immediately within the first few guitar slamming chords and you know exactly what it's like to be a fish as Stephanie's vocals hook you clean out of the water. The arrangement is spectacularly skilled, particularly when the harmonies float all over the place for the chorus. There's an escapologist's dream occurring in the wah guitar solo and you find yourself muttering 'yeaaaah MF really do rawwwwwwwwwk!'

Chariot is an electrifyingly accomplished composition and again, the arrangements are faultless... a superb combination of glossy guitars and penetrating drum bits hold Stephanie's vocals up right where they belong.. right in front of the green 'go' lights! It's a superb pop/rock song and I bet it attracts decibel bending applause every time it's performed live! Chariot is followed by Rocket Song and it is indeed a very apt title because everything you would want to find in a decent alternative pop track is literally launched straight at ya at 250 times faster than the socially acceptable rate of ear candy ascent! The production is very clever but then it would have to be with musicians like these performing in front of the desk! The lyrics and vocals are absolutely amazing and the supporting guitars are brilliant making the track truly worthy of praise with a capital P.

Sister Barbara first draws your attention right into the heart of the lyrics and leaves you with a sense of admiration for the refined and sensibly descriptive songwriting ability behind this band. I particularly love the way the bass and guitars are working together here... very tight and extraordinarily expressive. Now that's not an easy task with such strong lyrics and an equally strong and expressive voice at the mike.. but then.. these are the musicians that have played flawlessly and inventively on every track we've heard so far... it comes as no surprise then that they maintain that consistency throughout!

Cab Driver takes the spectacular vocal meanderings a few steps further and Stephanie's unique and versatile vocal skill set begins to shine even brighter. What a fantastic song this really is! I would love to see MF live... that's it... it's confirmed to me now and I can only imagine the state the audience is left in when these guys share the same floor space! Watch out for the irresistable percussion and bass diversions.. but be careful not to have your attention diverted too far away by the exceptional lyrics until at least the second play!

My Favorite Destiny also happens to be one of my favorite tracks on the album so far. I love the way Stephanie presents this song with a voice that is reminiscent of Alanis, Stevie Nicks, Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, and in a way that is every bit as dynamic and inventive. It's obvious to me that Stephanie realized that her voice was an instrument of incredible power and delivery the second she first emerged as an infant from the labour ward.. and she hasn't forgotten any of the tricks of the trade that make for a great singer!

I can't wait to play Jonathan to my 18mth old son 'Jonathan' just so that he knows there are brilliantly crafted songs out there with his name in them.. and ladies and gentlemen this really is a brilliantly crafted song! The thing is.. how do they get away with it? The song opens with an intro that I consider to be 'front-line' and let's be clear here.. it's 'front-line' songwriting and musicianship that changes the face of music for the better! Watch how the vocals guide you from one direction to the other with relative ease.. and keep your eye on those magnificent drum and bass bits.. cos eventually, as the track reaches it's musically magnificent peak somewhere around 3 minutes into the song, you are well and truly flying all over the place with Mimi Ferocious Airlines!

The Best Ones is a beautiful song that highlights the versatility that this band excels in. In the same way that Stephanie uses her voice as a true instrument of colourful meanderings in the previous tracks, she continues to dazzle and enhance your listening experience beyond the barriers and I can only imagine the co-producer Nik Chinboukas repeating to himself over and over again 'wow, wow, WOWWWW!' as he messed with the mixdown. Sheer skill all round!

I didn't expect the synth n bass opening for the next track until I realized that I was listening to one of the best cover versions ever assembled! 'I Feel Love' the Donna Summer thing released quite some time ago, has been picked up, shaken, re-housed, and turned into an epitaph of superb wonderment that surprised the be-jeezus out of me! I'm often ready to cover my ears almost immediately with most cover versions but in this case... I couldn't find my hands anywhere near my ears... they were too busy tapping the imaginary keyboard to the same beat my feet where busy dancing to under my desk! This is exceptional talent unafraid, unrestrained, and absolutely unbelievable!

The final track is 'We're All Gonna Die (a love song)' and if the title doesn't entice you to the headphones (or the strategically positioned sofa between the speakers) then the music almost certainly will! What a brilliant way to finish a brilliant album, a short, sweet, excursion into the very heart of rock and roll from a band that knows a thing or two about how it should be done with enthusiasm and excitement. I am 'dead impressed' with 250 times Sweeter Than Sugar... now do I have to spell it out? DEAD IMPRESSED! A sensational effort from a sensationally seasoned team of true musicians headed by a sensational songstress... yep... I think that says it all!

 

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