mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister
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Free Music Notes for Brother, Sister
Free Music Review: mewithoutYou gets even better, incredibly
Hit: 5 Stars
I almost hesitate to describe the songs on mewithoutYou's new album, Brother, Sister--it feels like spoiling a movie or revealing the ending of a book, as if I might take away some of the magic by telling too much. On the other hand, the depth and originality of the release are things I could rant about for pages. The album, which takes its title from a prayer of Francis of Assisi, has the same humble beauty one would expect from the title. Religion here isn't something to put into songs to evangelize or too appease a fan-base, but an integral part of life that is expressed with the same honesty you'd expect when talking about any other topic.
And the music! The music makes even the simplest lines (like "Open wide the door, my Lord / to whatever makes me love you more" from "C-minor") into heart-rending pleas. Besides the effect-laden guitar parts, you'll hear a harp, flugelhorns (courtesy of Anathallo), and more, all forming a lovely sonic palette that complements deep lyrics. This is an album where the lyrics wouldn't be the same without the music and the music wouldn't be the same without the lyrics.
The album starts quietly. Aaron Weiss almost mumbles the lyrics, "`I do not exist,' we faithfully insist, sailing in our separate ships and in each tiny caravel. Tiring of trying, there's a necessary dying, like a horseshoe crab in its proper season sheds it shell." Reaching a certain point, an acoustic guitar comes in strumming. Ship bells ring, giving the track's nautical feel an appropriate flavor without sounding at all cheesy. It ends with the superbly memorable lines, "If ever you come near, I'll hold up high a mirror / Lord, I could never show you anything as beautiful as you."
Not to say it's all so mellow. "O'Porcupine" is a rousing rock song that ends on an optimistic note--"In our darkness a light shines / and all I wanna say is that that light is God / and though I might've been mistaken on this or that point / that light is God."
The album ends with a lovely finale (one that I won't spoil for you) and closes. If you're like me, you'll turn it on again when it's done.
Free Music Review: what new mystery is this?
Hit: 4 Stars
The third album from Tooth and Nail Records' genre bending rock outfit MewithoutYou is a true musical delight and a brisk breath of fresh air. As a band that refuses to fall in line a just another hardcore/emo band, MewithoutYou's fresh new sound is continually being changed and refined heading into "Brother, Sister".
On this gem of an album lead singer Aaron Weiss had decided to share his singing ability with us, using less of the psuedo rhythmic talking that was used exclusivley up until now. If you're a long time fan though, don't worry, most songs are a strong mixture of the two singing styles. Also Aaron's soft singing voice fits the music perfectly. As the band continues to experiment with new sounds we are greeted with a few new instruments to the mix including trombone and harp. Overall this album has a more mellow sound that previous outings.
A real key point of the new album is the poetic words of Weiss. Though this has always been a staple for the group, the lyrics this time around shows the definate stregthening in the singer Christian faith since their debut LP "A->B Life". The prime example is in the amazing song "Nice and Blue (pt. two)" a sequel so to say of the original track featured on their first album. In his beautfiul poetic lyrics (I consider him the best poet in modern popular music) Aaron show this growth in faith "If you look out and see a trace of a dark red that was once my face in the clarity of such grace, you'll forget all about me."
The album as a whole is strung together beautifully. Each song seemingly meant to be place next to one another (like all great albums should) The threee acoustic laden "Spider" sing alongs, that are placed among the record like interludes, also help to keep the album more conhesive. While the last song, the harp filled "In a Sweater Poorly Knit", is my absolute favorite track, helping to end the album on an amazing note. MewithoutYou has released another amazing CD and are currently making some of the best and most original music of our time! This album stands up well if not surpasses the bands brilliant early work.
Now if people would just take notice...
Free Music Review: Amazing
Hit: 5 Stars
This is my favorite band, which is saying a lot because I normally listen to Hardcore and Metal, not what mewithoutYou plays. This album is even more unorthodox than their last two, but their music suffers none. If what you like about mewithoutYou is their driving beats, their airy and whimsical guitar overtones, or their unsurpassedly poetic lyrics, you won't miss anything in Brother, Sister.
What has changed, however, is that they have continued to gradually depart from their Hardcore roots. What on their other albums would have been a beat-carrying riff is now a beat-carrying riff slightly toned down and accompanied by an accordion or harp. If you are not one to appreciate a Bohemian approach to music, mewithoutYou may not be for you, but if you enjoy music well-made and inventive, they will quickly become a favorite.
P.S. ANY of their albums are excelent to go to sleep to.
Free Music Review: Spiders...
Hit: 5 Stars
MWY is an excellent, and haunting group. Aaron Weiss's delivery and lyrics are so unique. This is a great alternative rock band, and each cd gets better and better. I like the flow of the concept throughout the album. The whole "spiders" theme is eerie, and artsy, but in a nice creative way. Free Music Review: Best CD I've bought this year.
Hit: 5 Stars
mewithoutYou have come further down the road Brad Wood has taken them from [A-B]-Live to Catch for Us the Foxes. The production is amazing, and is different than anything out there in rock music. Every song sounds distant, yet perfectly surrounds me with the mood necessary to bring out every word's intent. This is a Christian band and every lyric on the CD lets you know it, but it has always amazed me how the writing speak to me, an atheist, just as well. Listening to this album from start to finish is a lesson that we may all agree with each other much more than we think.