By “Tampa” Earl Burton
Review: Mystery Action’s “War Beat”-May 13, 2022
There are many bands out there today that would like to grasp on to the attitude and sound of Seventies (and early Eighties) punk. For the most part, these bands come up woefully short. A band out of the punk hotbed of Chicago can legitimately lay claim to that mantle, but also adds other elements that bode well for their future success.
The band is Mystery Actions, an all-female outfit from the Windy City that has plied their wares on the musical battlegrounds beside Lake Michigan. Led by Nikki Mouse on vocals, Lucy Dekay on guitar, Mikeael Hell on bass and Rose Beef on drums, Mystery Action has come out with a brand-new song/video that will be appearing on an EP later this year. “War Beat” brings both the lyrical content and the powerful sounds that you would expect from a genuine punk act but also adds in smart hooks and excellent musicianship that you normally do not receive from a “punk” act.
About halfway through “War Beat,” the band segues into an interlude that allows each member of the band to display their talents. It starts with the hammering drum work of Beef before adding in the moody thumping of Hell’s bass soon afterwards. The interlude is completed with the ripping of Dekay’s guitar work and is crowned with Mouse’s vocal libations, at once sneering and powerful at the same time. This simple segment shows the virtuosity of the band and gets you excited to see what else the band can do.
The band might bring the punkish sounds, but there is also a bit of whimsy to Mystery Actions. The video for “War Beat” features Mystery Actions riding tanks, performing on the fuselage of a fighter jet, and otherwise using the theme of the song to have some fun. This is something you do not see often out of a punk act – the ability to bring a joke to their fans and poke some fun, not only at their music but also at themselves.
Mystery Actions bring back that punk rock attitude of the late-Seventies/early-Eighties while adding in strong musicianship and lyrical work that you might not expect from someone in this genre. The song “War Beat” also serves as a solid introduction for the band and garners your interest for the EP coming later this year. You might think that punk is dead but, with Mystery Actions, it is proving to be alive and well.
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