Dried Cassava
Mind Thieves
Self Released

4/10

It’s not easy being in a band. There are opinion differences, varying skills and abilities, personal circumstances and many more to consider if you decide to throw your lot with a specific bunch of people. Dried Cassava, as far as I know, have been at it for seven years now, having been formed in 2005 during the members’ high school days. And Mind Thieves, their first release, is the fruit of their dedicated labour.

One of the first thing you noticed about the band is their penchant for funk driven rock and it is during these numbers that the band is at their most comfortable and spontaneous; the guitars spit out venomous funk/blues licks, while the rhythm section locks into a tight groove. Opener “Pig Nose”, a song anchored by a nice groove with couldn’t-give-a-fuck vocals and catchy refrain, topped with feedback laden instrumental break is probably the pick of the bunch. Each of he other songs has their own strengths, but they often too readily fall back into predictability, rehashing formulas perfected by other bands such as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers or Incubus.

The slower numbers are either ballads or mid-tempo pop songs that are mostly hit and miss. “Paradox”, with its pleasant pace and melody, is the kind of song that could get very popular, but lacks punch and ambles contently until its sing-a-long conclusion. “Manusia Beruang” follows templates set by indonesian bands like Dewa or Padi, marrying big, soaring chorus with poetic lyrics but giving you the feeling that you’ve heard the song somewhere else before. A worthy mention here goes to “Menjual Kaum Hawa”, an interesting bluesy number about prostitution that, though saddled with vocal affectations that may not be to everyone’s taste, shows another side of the band that may be worth exploring further.

Mind Thieves isn’t actually a bad album. Sure it is patchy, but considering this is their first release, it’s really not that surprising. It takes time to figure out what it is you want to say and even longer to figure out how you’re going to say it. For now, Mind Thieves is a schizophrenic ride that alternates between 90′s alternative music, noughties pop-rock, and overtly melodramatic pop songs. What the future brings, though, is entirely in their own hand.