Mint Biscuit: Mouth Like A Rocker; Mint: Leaving It Late (2022 reissue)

Richard Thomas goes for a rough-around-the-edges approach on Mouth Like A Rocker, the new album by his one-man project Mint Biscuit. His hard rock side comes to the fore in I'm A Big Metal Fan and the bluesy The Jaguine Article. Being the proud owner of a couple of cool axes - he used a Squier Jazzmaster, a Squier Jaguar, an Epiphone ES-339, and an Epiphone Les Paul, allowed to explore various moods and tunings. As for the album's title: it is a pun on his place of residence Cockermouth. And yes, he has heard all the lame jokes about that already.

Power chords sit comfortably next to single notes. Playing by intuition is not without risks - a tune can fall apart quite easily - but Thomas has a firm grip on when he wants to go. In this case a bit louder than his usual shtick, but it worked out quite well. He might be working his working to thrash metal or something equally challenging.

Mint Biscuit: We Are Sailing; My Favourite Biscuit. Mint: After Eight Mint; Best Of - Live Recordings

Welsh guitarist Richard Thomas embraces to old adage of "go big or go home", releasing a brand new solo EP, We Are Sailing, a Best of... for those who could not keep up with his output, plus a bunch remastered live stuff of with his Uni band Mint and a completists only collection of odds and ends they recorded recently.

The new EP is more mellow than his previous recordings. Thomas is counting his blessings, being in a steady relationship, and going out exploring the hills. His tone is gentle and warm, especially during Late Night, Me And Her and Last Night, She And Him, both augmented with slightly psychedelic vibe. Right now it seems he only has to press "rec" and come up with an instrumental that is going places. All Barr Epstein moves slowly as a nod to the virus that causes mono.

Cover Me: Out Of The Sinking

The members of English band Mint got together - well, sort of, to tackle the Paul Weller song Out Of The Sinking This track was one of the first songs they played when they started out as band about 20 years ago at Trevelyan College, Durham University, UK. Nostalgia can be a good thing.

» Mint on Bandcamp

HCTF review of Leaving It Late.

Mint: Leaving It Late

Rock quintet Mint were a student band at Trevelyan College, Durham University, UK. They recorded an album in 2001, a quick-and-dirty job that took them three days at Crossgate Studios. Guitarist Richard Thomas dug it out for a digital/limited CD release (50 copies) and it's a nice snapshot what five politically conscious guys with a soft spot for classic rock were about back then. Rat Race is the best song, going through various moods to show real concern about the pressure to make it. The funky Afraid To Fly is a close second. They were on the brink to step into the real world, once their student days were over. That perspective must have filled them with some apprehension and music helped them to cope - besides having a lot of fun as captured in this video of one of their last gigs on the roof of Trevelyan College.

Playing universities can be tough - the crowds have little patience fo an unknown band playing their own songs, and that explains the inclusion of four lo-fi live covers to fill out the album. They can handle Crossroads and Fire, work their way to Dylan's Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (the line "Everybody must get stoned" is a perennial student favourite), but Itchycoo Park is way out of their league.