As an avid fan of Mindless Self Indulgence, I have been feeding off of the EPs, bootlegs, demo tracks, and live shows since the release of their last studio record ‘You’ll Rebel To Anything’. I got my first listen to this album as a whole on the day of the album leak in the queue to the first UK show of the ‘If' tour. A basic impression was made as a good one and once the show had finished I went home and downloaded it for myself (buying it once it was released).

The band has lost part of what has made them special. The raw, nonsensical lyrics have been dropped in favour of a more polished sound. Also, with 3 tracks off the new album having been played live for over a year, and a further 6 having been played at live shows regularly over the past 10 years, the album has little new material for older fans of the band to really sink their teeth into.

Despite Mindless Self Indulgence’s sound having been shifted from what some could argue to be their best years, they’re still catchy. ‘If’ still has the same tongue in cheek offensive attitude they always had. With songs like Get It Up (“Ah do something sexy, I don’t care, do something just, just don’t talk about your fucking boyfriend while we’re having sex, how about that?!”) or the single Mastermind (“this shit’s gonna turn yo momma white”) showing that MSI have not lost their edge. The album is a definite for anyone who wants a gradual introduction into the madness that is Mindless Self Indulgence.
I would especially recommend them if you’re a fan of Family Force 5, The Birthday Massacre, Vyncent Flaw or Retard-O-Bot. And if you don’t listen to those bands already then go check them out too!