Customer Reviews

Frengers

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After purchasing "And the Glass Handed Kites" and, admittedly, listening to it every day for two months straight, I thought it might be prudent for my future enjoyment of the album to put it down for awhile. Within days, I was missing Mew. To combat this feeling, I resisted the urge to put "And the Glass Handed Kites" back in the player, and instead ordered "Frengers." After all, in my initial research of Mew's oeuvre, I found several tunes that I liked that were not on that recording.

"Frengers" is easily as strong a recording as "And the Glass Handed Kites," but for different reasons. Undoubtedly, fans of one will like the other, as they share the same overall aesthetic. However, in comparison, "Frengers" has some significantly distinguishing characteristics. Most importantly, "Frengers" is not bound by the conventions associated with the "conceptual album." While "And the Glass Handed Kites" is probably the more mature effort of the two, "Frengers" may be a better introduction to the group, as it is more single-friendly. Succinctly, if I were to introduce someone to Mew, I would undoubtedly suggest "156," followed by "Snow Brigade." In both of these tunes, they are able to reference the epic scope of their vision in a succinct format.

While these songs stand out to me as an individual, I genuinely like all the other songs on "Frengers." Unbound by the conventions of the "conceptual album," "Frengers" shows Mew's ability to encapsulate, and therefore show the strengths of their short-form works. While "And the Glass Handed Kites" inarguably shows that they have the ability to sustain a conceptual narrative, "Frengers" is an example of the potential strength of their singles.

The Lowdown: "Frengers" is the middle ground. Mew pushes the boundaries between accessibility and experimentalism, and I see "Frengers" as a transitional album in the tradition of Yes' "Drama" and Genesis' "And Then There Were Three." I foresee great things for them in the future if they continue to push the envelope.

how these danes aren't better known outside their homeland and the UK is incredible. i first heard 'frengers' a few years back after a friend told me about them. i 'acquired' a copy and from the first note i was sold: this is an amazing band.

in an age where we want to pigeonhole every band and musician out there, mew defy all conventional description. they really aren't 'indie,' nor are they 'alt-rock,' or 'pop,' or 'rock,' or any number of other labels. nor do they 'sound like anyone else.' there are few bands out there today that have cultivated a truly unique sound and don't sound like anyone else. mew, thankfully, is one of those bands.

'am i wry? no' is one of the best album openers in recent memory. it's worth listening just to hear the bassline. it's a mind blow in every sense of the word, and one of those tracks you play over and over and over. trust me, you've never heard anything like it. other top tracks include "snow brigade," "her voice is beyond her years" (with Stina Nordenstam), and "she came home for xmas." though there's really not a weak moment on the whole album.

Jonas Bjerre's vocal will certainly make your ears perk up and listen--you'll either love it or hate it. there's really no middle ground. the songs themselves are alternately fist-in-the-air rockers like 'am i wry? no,' and 'snow brigade,' and torch songs like 'symmetry' and 'she came home for xmas,' both of which show mew's unique ability to write stimulating athems and affecting ballads. and that's no easy thing to do.

mew's not for everyone, but even the most discerning music fan would have a hard time not falling in love with these guys. and for you self-professed music snobs, if mew's not already a part of your collection, make sure you add it soon. they deserve a spot.

Wow - This is easily the best album of the year. I have owned Frengers for almost a week, and there is nothing like it. I mean you can compare little bits of brilliance to other bands, but really what's the point. I will say there is a certain shoegaze element that seems to shine through many of the songs, which I favor strongly. My only regret is that I didn't knwo about this band 4 years ago when I could buy their previous releases under $100.00. I saw the debut disc go for $300.00 on eBay...Honestly, after listening to Frengers, I can see the obsession infecting me soon.

Mew is the danish rock band that's blown Northern Europe off it's feet. Their noisy, immense orchestra-rock sound mixed with vocalist Jonas Bjerre's light, girlie voice will give you shivers down your spine, trust me. The lyrics are sweet, poetic and very different, and melts with the music in a fascinating way. There is not a bad song on this album, and especially tracks like Am I wry, 156, Comforting sounds and She came home for christmas will ... your mind.
After listening to this CD, I can honestly say that Mew is one of my new favourite bands.

..thus 'Frengers' was born. Mew is one of the most unique bands I know of, there is really no one who sounds like them. Jonas Bjerre, the lead singer, has a very feminine, light voice, but it never sounds small or overwhelmed, even though many of the songs have an epic, stadium like sound.. such as the stirring intro 'Am I Wry? No.'

Towards the middle are a couple of slower songs that are not quite up to par with the rest of the album. 'Her Voice Is Beyond Her Years' and 'Symmetry' feature guest vocals from Stina Nordenstam and Becky Jarrett respectively. They add some nice variety, but unfortunately when Jonas sings, it sounds as if he is holding back so he does not dominate them.

But these are only minor complaints as the songs still sound very good. Give it a listen, if you want something new and fresh, you will not be disappointed.

Mew is a mishmash band -- a little indie-rock, a little prog, a little pop, a little hard-rock and a little art rock.

And in their third album "Frengers," the Danish band mixes all of those together, and lets listeners hear the grand extent of what they can do. This album is rich with atmospheric music and fiery instrumentation -- an absolutely dazzling, powerful slab of rock'n'roll.

It opens with the shimmering riffs and kinetic basslines of "Am I Wry? No," a hard-edged song with choirlike backing vocals. It grows into a soaring rock epic, before falling back to Jonas Bjerre's high, sharp voice. "Farrah now that we're here/can you tell me exactly how I should/have done?/Farrah drives with her eyes closed/do you ever inflict unwanted memories?"

It gets soft and wintry at the start of the next song, only to blossom out into a fast-paced rocker laced with bells and synth. The songs that follow are the whole sonic palette: muscular rockers, airy piano ballads backed with synth, driving guitar rockers, surreal psychfolk, and lightning-quick rock'n'roll that veers between guitar pop and the hard stuff.

Maybe that's what makes Mew so appealing -- you can't put a label on their sound (psych-pop-prog-hard-art-rock?) and you can't sit still whenever it's playing. Whenever their music settles into a signature "sound," they turn around and change it yet again.

Every song is layered with instrumentation -- some incredibly strong riffs, loud basslines, a fluid piano melody of two, a little synth, and some sharp percussion are all smoothed into one in songs like "Eight Flew Over, One Was Destroyed." Best of all, their music has an epic, powerful quality -- "Am I Wry? No" has the quality of a feisty thunderstorm.

Jonas Bjerre's voice is a bit elusive. At the start it sounds rather high and nasal, but eventually his vocals start melting into the music itself -- the peak is when he duets with Stina Nordenstam. And the songs he sings are quite solidly written ("Because no one is safe/From someone somewhere's/Sweet embrace/And so I have simply decided/To dislike you now").

"Frengers" is a solid third album for this brilliant Danish band, and the first album that got them the notice they richly deserve. Wonderful piece of work.

Frengers is a showcase of Mew's unique sound... Each song takes you on a journey, and surprises you. Excellent!

Since my last outing with Mew was so positive, I had no hesitation in picking up Frengers when the US edition came on the market last year. Mew is truly a breath of fresh air in the world of rock. The best way to describe the band's music is as a pleasing mixture of harmonious alt-pop, prog-pop, and Euro-pop.
I like the whole CD, my only complaint is that it is very short with just over forty-five minutes worth of music. My favorite cuts are Symmetry, SheSpider, and Comforting Sounds.
If you are tired of the same old worn-out songs played ad nauseam on the corporate networks and are in need of a mood elevator, give Mew a try. You'll find Frengers a great place to start.

I do not remember why I chose to buy this album. I had never heard Mew's music, nor had I ever heard of the band itself. I had some free music points in my BMG account, so I took a chance.

In my massive catalog of music, there is no other album to which I have listened more. I cannot begin to tell you the magnitude to which I enjoy this album. For as long as I have owned this album (about 2 months or so), I have listened to it every day. Sometimes, I listen to it more than once per day by virtue of the fact that it never seems to get old.

I recommend this album in the strongest way possible.

I will say right now that this is one of the best-sounding albums you will ever hear. Listen to the last minute of Behind the Drapes, as an example (some clarity is sacrificed for an overwhelming wall of sound, a good choice). I want Rich Costey to produce my album (he gets the production credit in the liner notes).
Aside from its unmatched sound, the music stands on its own. The song writing is above par: sophisticated but not esoteric. A handful of songs are as catchy as anything on the Billboard charts (Snow Brigade).
Some songs will probably strike you as emo-ish (She Spider), or power ballad-y (Symmetry), but overall, the album is huge, dreamy, many-layered rock and roll.