Mankato, AKA London musician
Darren Berry, has created a debut single that marks him out
as distinctive voice in the overflowing singer/songwriter
market. 'Flesh And Bone' sounds like James have gone berserk
in a toy cupboard. The dominant sound on the single is of
someone hammering away on a Casio keyboard to provide backing
to three minutes of quirky cartoon pop.
There is an effortless John Lennon vibe about extra tracks
'Safe As Houses' and 'No Promises'. Many blustering indie
bands (Embrace and Starsailor to name two culprits) have achieved
considerable success without getting close to matching the
lush pop sound of Mankato's b-sides. The cheery vocal and
random instrumentation particularly on 'Safe As Houses' recalls
Swedish popsters The Wannadies. 'No Promises' is another welcome
laid-back pop gem. It's the kind of tune that we have been
waiting in vain for from Martin Carr ever since the demise
of The Boo Radley's.
'The Great Indoors' is due to be released as the only b-side
on the vinyl version of the single. It is a song with an anti-globalisation
message, which suggests that Berry has plenty to say. Added
to his ability to craft a perfect tune this should ensure
that Mankato makes a big impact sooner rather than later.
Gavin Eves
