Adela and the Meanits are one of the most interesting bands to come out of Ireland’s multi-faceted music industry. The Laois-formed quartet have been around for quite a while, impression crowds from the dankest of pubs to Electric Picnic with their bizarre yet pleasant sound.
The band is made up of a group of clearly, enviably talented young multi-instrumentalists and is fronted by Adela Meally; the quaint voiced leading lady with vocals comparable to Amanda Palmer. The similarities don’t end there as it may be somewhat presumptuous of this music blogger to guess that this band has been in some way inspired by The Dresden Dolls. This likeness comes across most obviously through the nursery-rhyme like air to many of the songs. Take for example, My Ego, the xylophone adds a childish nature to an adult themed songs, as do Meally’s soft vocals. There is something sweet about her voice that instills a cheerfulness to many of the songs. Daddy’s Girl continues this trend but with a slight twist. This is probably one of the most “folk” songs on the album. It is a toe-tapper despite lacking any obvious rhythm. A sense of humour definitely exists within this band; it’s entertaining to here three guys sing “Oh I’m a Daddy’s Girl”. The humour does end there on the album; even the title Cavan Fever is likely to encourage a chuckle. Despite the humour in the title it is actually one of the strongest songs on the album; it details a thirst for fame and it is doused in jazz elements, right down to the excellent double bassline; however it is brought right back to the band’s Irish routes with a fantastic violen solo. Without a doubt the two strongest songs on the album are Andy and title track Kinda Wild. The latter stands out because of it’s electronic feel- something which doesn’t appear often on the album, however the style of the band is not diluted; the quirkiness remains as does the gypsy style folk. Andy is a cheerful sounding song (with an excellent video); it’s hard not to love the character sung about on this track which is a testament to the song writing abilities on this album. The preaching lyrics seem to work well with the upbeat music and it is a good leading song for this enigmatic album.
Regardless of your taste of music, it would be hard not feel a warmth when listening to this album. It is full of humour, ambition, child-like charm and innocence. Each song is likely to conjure a smile upon even the grumpiest of faces despite the many dark lyrics and hopeless sentiments that lay beneath the frivolous sounding tunes. It may not be one to listen to from one end to the other, several times, but regardless of which song was to come on shuffle, it’s likely to put a spring in your step. Also, it certainly isn’t a masterpiece, however it is pleasant on the ears, light on the heart; a true Irish treasure.
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