Minibar
Fly Below the Radar
(Distro III)
LA-based UK roots popsters Minibar play interesting mix of So-Cal folk rock that recalls latter-day Byrds with a light sprinkling of Britpop. The record has some solid moments of roots-rock that could pass for a mediocre Tom Petty record, but their reinventing the wheel can’t compete with bands like Counting Crows. The ideas are stale and the songwriting drive isn’t there. With tones of alt-country and snippets of early REM the record is likable, but hardly worth searching out.
—Trevor MacLaren
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.