Soup Activists turn punk energy into bright, slightly odd guitar pop on Mummy What Are Flowers For? Martin Meyer’s St. Louis solo project has a real knack for compact hooks, from the pogo-ready “Jeffrey Jarvis” and “Boys with Plants” to “Matching Teens,” where swinging organ meets crunchy guitar. “The Times” brings Lira Mondal’s focused vocal to the front, while “Some Doves Don’t” nods toward new wave and “Chaos Girls” turns end-of-the-world nerves into something you can dance to. The songs are playful, but there’s enough strangeness around the edges to keep them from feeling polished smooth.
Released by Inscrutable Records, the LP comes from a scene with strong ties to punk and small-label pop, and Meyer’s history in Lumpy and the Dumpers, the Wad, Cal and the Calories, and Fried E/M is part of its scrappy songwriting feel. He handles drums, guitar, bass, vocals, organ and xylo himself, with Mondal also singing on “Some Doves Don’t” and “TV’s in the Orchard,” plus violin from engineer and mixer Caufield Schnug on “Chaos Girls.” Fans of Dolly Mixture, Television Personalities, the Freshies, or guitar pop with a crooked grin should find plenty here. The release is free in several formats, with a vinyl LP also available.
