Some bands have a sound that reminds you of a particular place and time. For the L.A. based quintet Downy Mildew their best effort should have put them in a place and time in our heads like pre-superstar R.E.M. or the Replacements. For the most part, outside of their native Southern California, Downy Mildew is not even on the map. For a moment they could have at least been a one hit wonder in the wake of R.E.M.’s success in bringing the underground ever closer to top 40 radio. In fact just as R.E.M. was breaking the underground ceiling, it’s leader Michael Stipe had become enamored with Downy Mildew and directed the video for the would be hit “Offering” the only single from Mincing Steps (that I’m aware of). Mincing Steps was the band’s second LP. Before its release they had quickly evolved their sound from paisley underground to something that selectively absorbed some of the emerging influences of the late ‘80s underground scene.
By all accounts, Mincing Steps was going to be the band’s breakthrough release. During its release, the band got some exposure on MTV’s obscure late-night show X-Ray and the occasional name drop from Michael Stipe never hurt. Already an underground sensation in Southern California, they never ascended beyond spotty college radio status. It was not for lack of originality or bad timing.
With a mix of jangle pop, light goth and art folk, Downy Mildew had a sound that was interesting if not completely original. Other West Coast bands with a similar approach like Game Theory were more successful (just barley) perhaps because of their direct connection to people like Mitch Easter who fined tuned their quirky sensibilities into college radio favorites (and helped get them more exposure). Mincing Steps was self-produced (by the band) but its secret weapon was a layered sophistication via various string instruments including a violin and six-string guitar. It’s lead singer Jenny Homer’s raw and often impassioned delivery could be high pitched and delicate, especially when joined by the guitar player Charlie Baldonado contrasting flat Englishman-like delivery. I don’t know if that was a California thing (like with Translator), but for Downy Mildew, it helped set them apart from the hordes of bands being compared to R.E.M. or the Replacements.
Other elements of distinction included a delicate balance between the East Coast influences of alt rock and west Coast psychedelia. Originally the band was part of the California Paisley Underground scene with catchy psychedelic pop. This early stage is heard in a few tracks like “Misfourtune”, but they have clearly moved on stylistically. Despite some eclectic flourishes, Mincing Steps, has a refined cohesive sound.
Baldonado’s voice is not on all the tracks, but on the few where he leads, his delivery sounds English – with at least one of the songs reminding one of XTC. In other places like “Six Flights” and “Floorboard” Homer delivers a Stevie Nicks like vibe. It’s those type of songs with stripped down arrangements where Downy Mildew seemed to excel. Otherwise their layered sound conjures other styles (most notably a 4AD/Pixies bent) without being too indebted to angst or anyone in particular.
I don’t know why Downy Mildew was ultimately unsuccessful (the name perhaps?). The band lasted into the ‘90s before calling it quits in 1995. Mincing Steps was reissued two years before, by which time Michael Stipe was a mega star and had presumably moved on from his infatuation with the band. That’s too bad because they were good enough to stand on their own without being compared to R.E.M. (like every alt rock band seemed to be for a time). Fortunately, nearly all the band’s catalog is available on streaming services like Spotify. Mincing Steps was easily the band’s artistic (and maybe commercial) highpoint is a great starting and dropping off point for anyone digging deeper for late ‘80s alt-rock off the beaten path.
Favorite Tracks:
Offering
Six Flights
Misfortune
Beatopolis 