The Minders' Martyn Leaper writes arguably the most concise and infectious pop tunes of anyone in the Elephant 6 stable -- in fact, his most obvious counterpart is not a fellow E6-er but
Guided by Voices'
Robert Pollard, with whom Leaper shares not only a penchant for hit-and-run songcraft, British Invasion-inspired melodies, and homespun production values, but also a level of prolificacy that allows new
Minders tracks to sprout up like weeds. Although
Cul-de-Sacs & Dead Ends assembles the group's early singles and compilation appearances, it hangs together like a full-fledged studio album thanks to the sheer consistency of the material and its thoughtful pacing -- highlights including "Build," "Chatty Patty," and "Now I Can Smile" boast such ingenious hooks and sweet harmonies you'd swear that they're lost classics at least a generation old, yet they possess more than enough wit and spark to avoid the pitfalls of nostalgia. ~ Jason Ankeny