Mint 400 Records has made waves with its exceptional compilation albums, including full cover albums of The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" and Nirvana's "In Utero." Their latest offering, a compilation featuring 32 tracks from the '90s grunge, indie, and alternative rock era, epitomizes the label's eclectic approach. From Radiohead and Bjork to Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, this compilation captures the essence of a generation with exact replicas and innovative reinterpretations.
"Fake Pockets is an indie rock band from Asbury Park, NJ that specializes in power pop & bummer bops. Their debut EP Magnolia Street was released in 2020, with a second EP Reverie released June 2023 via Mint 400 Records. Fake Pockets is comprised of Devon Alana (vocals & rhythm guitar), Bill Lambusta (bass), Jake Resnick (drums), and Cara Introcaso (lead guitar)." The band covers Harvey Danger's “Flagpole Sitta” and gives us an official video today, the day the full compilation drops!
Why did you pick the specific cover you did?
Last year, the band had been brainstorming cover songs to add to our set of mostly originals. We normally do one per set, but wanted the ability to throw in a second (or more) if the need arose. We had tried out a couple songs, but they weren't really passing the band's sniff test as fun enough to excite the crowd we want. Around that time, we were playing a show with our friends Ruby Bones, who dropped "Flagpole Sitta" into their set. As the whole band was rocking out in the crowd, I turned to Devon and said, "We should cover that!" She was immediately excited but concerned about doing the same song as our friends. So amended my statement: "We should steal their cover!" A few months later, this project came up and we took the idea of covering the song off the backburner.
Why is the band you covered important to you?
Harvey Danger is often thought of by some as a one-hit-wonder, which I guess is true as this is their only true mainstream hit. However, I don't think the band ever really cared that much about mainstream success and they continued for many years, releasing 2 more albums after their first and adding their voice to the indie rock revolution of the mid 2000s. That stuff was my bread and butter, and I fell in love with their third album Little by Little..., especially the song "Happiness Writes White." That song remains on my list of Bill's Favorite, Greatest Songs of All Time. To sum up an answer to this question: I love Harvey Danger for their resiliency, resolve, and considerable songwriting talent.
Tell us about the first time you heard that song?
I don't remember it exactly, but I would have been in middle school, watching MTV or VH1 when this video came on. This was right around the time I became very passionate about music, and I probably watched this video every time it made an appearance on the VH1 Top 10.
Why was the 90's a magical time in music?
Oof, this is too big of an answer for a pithy response here. So here's some buzzwords that 90s music embraced: integrity, experimentation, advancement, eclecticism, empathy, and third wave ska.