Ambertron is the fourth project and debut LP from Mint Mile. Mint Mile is the most recent group from rock legend Tim Midyett, who was formerly of the outfits SilkWorm and Bottomless Pit. Mint Mile debuted in 2015 with the In Season and Ripe EP on the New Jersey based label, Comedy Minus One. Since then, the band has been releasing four songs at a time leading up to their 12-track double album, coming from the same label that gave them their start.
Ambertron is a hypnotic journey led by fuzzy guitar solos and Midyett’s haunting voice. The first thing that stands out after a full listen of the project, is going to be Justin Brown’s guitar playing. Whether it be chords falling into place with the rest of the instrumentation or the intense solos, Brown is able to switch between pedal effects like a car switches in and out of lanes. Brown is able to take the listener down a completely separate road than the song began you on. Track 11, “The Great Combine”, is a great example of Brown’s playing ability, this 8 minute monster of a ballad becomes primarily instrumental a little past the halfway point and allows guitarist Brown to get into an other-wordly groove.
Yet, there are subtle arrangements that add a sense of beauty to the full album. Songs like “Sang” and “Apocalypse Peaks” act as interludes and give the project a more down-tempo mood and add a cloud-like feeling throughout the record. Even heavier songs like “Fallen Rock” or “Shy” have droning horns courtesy of Greg Norman. These horns, while they fall into the background a little, give these songs a lighter feel and add a welcomed element to the arrangement. Songs like “Christmas Comes and Goes” have a swelling string section that stands out next to hard-hitting drums but fits perfectly with the bluesy lyrical content of the song.
Tim Midyett is leading in songwriting on this project and lets his deep voice add to the deeper lyrics. Songs like “Fallen Rock” have metaphors only the original author could explain and “River of Cars” gives a poetic perspective on morning traffic. Midyett also finds interesting ways to deliver these songs. The melodies chosen over these intricate arrangements takes on a life of its own, diving into new pockets as the instruments swell and deflate throughout songs that sometimes last over 10 minutes.
Overall, Ambertron shows huge potential for a band on their debut album . An intense journey of taking you through fuzzy guitar slides and hints of gorgeous horns and strings. Mint Mile tells a 12-track story of their various influences that will make you turn around and press play again right after your first listen.
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