This is a review of "Live at Joseph's Well" recorded by The Mingers. The review was written by James Meehan in 2003.

This live CD sampler of The Mingers' work is instantly marred by the poor sound quality. Recorded straight from the desk at Josephs Well it highlights the struggle many bands have in getting their sound balanced, particularly in a live setting.

Anyway, the five songs on this CD give the listener a good idea of what the Mingers are about, if not a good idea of the quality their live performance can offer. With each song coming in at around a minute and a half, this is pure punk rock. Opener "Disgracism" is catchy and aggressive and the singer's raspy shout emphasizes the energy of the track.

The next few songs follow a similar pattern of bass heavy hardcore punk. Kind of a cross between Sick of it all and Distillers when Brody is really going for it.

The fourth Track "Panic Attack" highlights the band's single guitar line up. The bass and guitar become mashed together with the singer over the top, perhaps it's time for a second guitarist (I'm not just saying this because I offered my services and got turned down!). The repeated shout of "Panic Attack" towards the end of the track shows the force this band have live, though it is difficult to grasp the impact of the live show from this CD.

It will be worth waiting for the studio recorded CD, as this CD shows promise, but ultimately cannot really do the band justice as the quality is just too poor. The CD is available from gigs, but if you've seen them live you'll be disappointed with the CD.