The Guilty Minds is a folk rock indie band from Ottawa, Canada. All seasoned musicians working on separate projects, they come together every so often to record and release an album. Natural Selections consists of eleven original tracks with a varying blend of rock, folk and blues.
As usual, I read the bands’ bio after listening to the album. Reading that they come together with no plans in mind and no “delusions of grandeur” and only make music that “their spirits compel them to” really made me look at the album in a different light. I enjoyed it, but I enjoyed it even more knowing every track was an authentic work of love and passion, so to speak. The Guilty Minds has an interesting blend of bluesy, folksy, sometimes country sound with pure indie rock vocals. It’s a mix that I can’t say I’ve heard before and was definitely refreshing. The first track “Hold On” had a sort of classic Americana vibe (yes I know they’re from Canada) with uplifting lyrics and an upbeat vibe. The next couple of songs had more of a rock sound and although they tended to come off as cheesy occasionally, they still were good solid songs. A standout track for me was “Evermore” which was slow and pretty with heartfelt lyrics about finding the love of your life. The layers of vocal harmonies were really beautiful. I also enjoyed “These Streets” which had a little country twang to it. The youthfulness of the lead vocal keeps the indie vibe afloat even in the tracks that felt more country which is a nice quality to have, especially for a listener like me that may not be a big fan of most country music. I think my favorite track of the album was the final song “Breathe.” This one had a ska-like vocal melody and a catchy relatable chorus that stuck with me. The jazzy feel of the song kept it upbeat and optimistic while giving it a really cool vibe. I really dug Natural Selections. There’s a little bit of everything in each track, making it really accessible for the average listener. The instrumental performances were really stellar and I loved the way each member has such individualistic qualities, yet they all blend so well together. The indie rock vocal style sounds so unique when the background isn’t exactly what you’d expect. You can really tell that The Guilty Minds enjoy playing together, and that’s the stuff good music is made from.
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