Mankato - 'Flesh & Bone' (2M)
3/5
By: Thomas Hannan
Songwriting is an art-form almost as old as mankind itself. Along the way, you'd have to admit it's produced some pretty memorable, stirring stuff. But thousands of years later, in a musical age of synthesised beats, machines that make all kinds of beeping noises and hard-up confrontational guitar noise, is there really a place in our hearts for the mild-mannered, traditional songwriter? State your case, Mankato.
Perhaps we should be asking Darren Berry, the sole young East Ender behind the Mankato front. He likes XTC and The Kinks, you know. If he did have to come back from such an audacious claim, on this evidence his defence would be pretty convincing. 'Flesh & Bone' is a lesson in classic summer-pop tune-crafting, a gorgeous melody, harmonised vocals a-plenty and the obligatory 'do do do's that accompany a top-notch chorus. It's upbeat and entirely wholesome stuff, one of those annoyingly elusive compositions that manage to sound like everyone under the sun and still remain rather unique at the same time.
Like all the best songs, it's got a tune to be proud of. Unlike them, it just lacks the necessary guts. It's thoroughly likeable that's for sure, but still an inescapably safe effort, toe-tapping rather than heart-stopping. There's no doubt that there's a place for Mankato, but as yet it isn't up there with the greats. Mr Berry has found the melody. Now what he needs is a little bite.
Artists in this article: Mankato
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