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Written by Amanda Pelle Monday, 26 February 2007 13:36

"Faithful and blind/ You finish me off like a sentence."

The band's prediction that "by tomorrow we won't be lackluster" may be accurate; however, the correlation they suggest between their evolving musical capabilities and those of Stevie Ray and B.B. King is a nonsensical comparison due to the drastic difference in genres. These bold comparisons, perhaps more strategically than ironically, are made in the same breath as their self-proclaimed shortcoming, "I know we know we aren't in tune/ we do the best we can for you." Their aspiration to accomplish the musical genius of these classic blues artists in a distinctly contrastive genre, in addition to their apologetic self-mocking, gives Mighty Fairly a more endearing than pretentious quality.

This Minneapolis-based band, founded by songwriter Mischa Suemnig, thrives on its irresistible, upbeat melody and absolutely infectious lyrics. The music is a unique blend of indie-pop mixed with subtle influences of a variety of other musical genres. While you can't help but groove to the music and sing along to the saucy lyrics, Mighty Fairly is unlike anything you'll find on your typical radio station. Radio would not do a band like this the proper kind of justice. Its high energy and unusual sound are much better suited for live performances and less commercialized personal enjoyment.

Mighty Fairly makes good use of its creative license with its smart and relatable lyrics, complimented by the occasional dramatic analogy. Lyrics from the fifth track, "Like a Ghost," are the perfect example of this instance: "Faithful and blind/ You finish me off like a sentence." These are words that the victim of any failed relationship can relate to on a deeply sentimental level. Perfectly Good Airplanes continues to enchant its audience with other romantic notions like, "I find more than God in you," a compelling verse from "Superheroes," the final track of the album. "It's a Shame" brings us back to our childhood and days of spending hours playing video games and blaming our inadequacies on inanimate objects. And upon closer inspection, a deeply personal message can be deduced from this and every song on the album, disguised cleverly behind the generally carefree sound of the music.

Suemnig has a true talent for creating insightful and emotionally captivating lyrics that we can relate to with our most basic human instincts. The sincerity and passion that Mighty Fairly expresses in Perfectly Good Airplanes leads us to the conclusion that more than just the airplanes are perfectly good. B+ | Amanda Pelle