Review:

on 2011-02-21 CharlesMartel Said:

"Mirror in the Bathroom" was undoubtedly the best track the Beat ever put out. Lyrically and musically, it captures the vanity bordering on the obsession of the socially isolated, self-absorbed, narcissistic misfit. In some ways it was quite sinister with lines, addressed to the self, like -

"Let me take you to a restaurant
It's got glass tables
You can watch yourself while you are eating."

The restrained yet memorable guitar hook is what stands out, with the plaintiff sax sitting menacingly in the background, wailing away. The track presents itself almost as a combination of post-punk and ska. And above all you can dance to it! Among the leaders of the punk-inspired ska revival, the Beat never really gained the commercial success they deserved. When the band disintegrated as the short-lived ska revival came to an end, various members of the band peeled off into other projects, most notably the equally short-lived Fine Young Cannibals.
Rating: 7/10