Customer Reviews

You Think Its Like This But Really Its Like This

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Everyone's been asked at some point in their life to pass judgment on a close friend's artistic endeavor. I don't know how most people feel, but I dread being asked this favor. I hate to lie, and I'm a very judgmental person, which makes for a bad combination when all an aspiring artist wants is a little validation. So as a defense mechanism my response to the inevitable "What do you think?" is always the same: "I like it." Often a lie. But then of course, sometimes I actually do like it, and in these cases I'll usually elaborate a little bit: "No, no. I really like it."

Mirah's You Think It's Like This, But Really It's Like This is one of those cases. Her first full-length album is like one of those revelations when you realize that someone close and dear to you has real talent. Not that Mirah is my friend or anything, but her delivery often has the feeling of someone giving you a bedside serenade or whispering melodies in your ear. Maybe it's Mirah's penchant for the second person, but I can't remember feeling so personally drawn in by a cycle of songs in quite some time.

It would be easy to relate Mirah to just about any of the female artists who have preceded her. And though she has a vocal style comparable to Juliana Hatfield and often writes lyrics with a sexual slant a la Liz Phair, she comes across as far more intelligent than the former and far more innocent than the latter. In fact, it's only by a minor miracle of her abilities as a songwriter that she's able to pull off this sort of alchemy and create an album that bristles rather than bombards with sexual tension as she delivers lines like "You've got pollen on your nose/Where've you been?/Where've you been?" And in a stroke of real virtuosity, Mirah even manages to open up the template of this sort of confessional format. From the opening thumps of "Sweepstakes Prize" to the off-kilter "Of Pressure" to the fuzzed-out endings of "Murphy Bed" and "Water and Sleep," her and Phil Elvrum of The Microphones keep things remarkably varied.

What can I say? I love this album. It's the little discovery I made this year that has offered me far more satisfaction inside during a rainy day and outside during a Sunday drive than I could have ever asked for. In a year when the boys' club of indie rock alienated many listeners, it's great to see that there are still great independent female artists who can create music that's intelligent, accessible and (most of all) fun.

Mirah is another in the growing line of stripped-down, lo-fi, simple, but somehow heartwrenching acts. That being the case, it's hard to describe this music without the aid of a million referents (Moldy Peaches, Cat Power, Azure Ray, April March, Edie Brickell, etc.).

While I want to dislike this sparce music which consists mostly of Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn's delicate, sophomoric vocals and light tremomlo guitar, repetitive lines like "if we sleep together, will it make it any better" from "La Familia" make my inner 17 year old indie grrl do cartwheels. Run-on sentences aside, this album is the kind of stuff Jack White probably listens to on rainy days. "Sweepstakes Prize" builds from a do-wop wink into a fuzzy, rocking song. "Person, Person" recalls some on Donovan's sillier moments. The range of ground Mirah covers is represented best on "This Dance," which starts off full of lament, and threatens continually to build through three musically varied verses.

The music is undeniably light, but it is also diverse enough to keep things interesting. It's a guilty pleasure that will probably become a permanent part of my personal rotation.

From the summer camp innocence of "person person," destined to become the teen anthem of lamented absence; the eternally adolescent complaint of "this dance"; the twenty-ish angst of "la familia" and then splintering into "murpy bed", "engine heart" - what's the use? You go where she takes you and you're happier for it.
Every tune tells a tale, every melody sparks a mood. "archipelago" pays a slight but decided tribute to Merrilee Rush - an interesting nod from so disparate a stylist - and as noted before, Liz Phair lurks in and around a good part of the disc, but Mirah's individuality and freshness leap out in a fun and enchanting series of works that will quickly become secret faves.
I wish I'd been around when the conversation that inspired the title took place. Overheard at a party? Part of a heated phone call? Whatever. Just fun.

mirah is simply wonderful, there is no way around it. her sweet, often childlike voice delivers melodies that give me butterflies. her songs are simple and might even sound minimal to some, but once you take a harder listen you're bound to discover a secret world full of childish simplicity mixed with a kind of subtle sensuality that anyone could easily adore. a 16 track masterpiece through and through! skipping songs or picking favourites on this cd just won't work. what are you waiting for? buy it already!

well, this was just the luckiest find ever. this album comes as close as possible to perfection, kind of a lo-fi aimee mann/tori amos - unpolished passion.

i totally chanced upon this cd, and i can't stop listening to it...i can't leave the house or even go into a different room without wishing i could carry the music with me. it's beautiful.

this lady clearly has a sense of humour that is helping her through a time of loss and natural disasters. that this album has been so under-publicised her in the uk is criminal.

listen to some of the tracks, but as the previous review says, there's no favourites, track-skipping is not necessary. just buy the cd on chance and let it take over your life the way it has mine...i dare you...

Think of all the things you love about Mary Lou Lord, Mecca Normal, Juliana Hatfield, Frente, Lois, Imperial Teen, The Innocence Mission, and early That Dog. Keep all those lovely indie-pop thoughts in your head when you buy this exquisite debut LP. From the college hit "Sweeptakes Prize" to the quirky "This Dance" to the lovely balladry in "La Familia" and "Archipelago." Just when you think you've heard the perfect melody, Mirah writes 16 beautifully crafted songs that almost overflow in its effervescence. Ending with "Words Cannot Describe," a song that George Gerswhin would have even raised an eyebrow at, this album is better than probably most anything you bought this year.

A close friend recommended Mirah to me. She told me a story relating to how Mirah's song "Person, Person" was the soundtrack to my friend's relationship with her absent brother. The first time I heard Mirah, I was on a bus, sharing a headphone with this friend, in awe of the sweet, dippy, beautiful song I was hearing. I later procured a copy of "You Think It's Like This But Really It's Like This" and was blown away. Where has this girl been all our lives? Mirah is a very versatile musician, moving from twee on "Pollen" to swing on "Words Cannot Describe," to a twenties-style vamp on "Small Town." And there is "Person, Person," an acoustic-driven track with an endearing chorus and sloppy, homey-sounding overlaid vocals. This album is a fabulous debut from an artist you can expect much more from.

This is Mirah's first album and is definitely the most raw. It's pretty much just her and a guitar. The songs are bright, making you hop up and down a little bit, your feet will want to tap. If you listen closely to the lyrics you will notice sexual references. I love it! It's real. Buy this album first! But C'mon Miracle and Advisory Committee are necessities as well. You won't regret the purchase of the 3. I promise.

My favorite tracks are, "Engine Heart", "Gone Sugaring", "Pollen", "Murphy Bed", and "Of Pressure".

This is a great record. Every song is a winner. Strong songwriting, intimate vocals, warm production. Everyone I have played this record for has ended up buying it. It should appeal to your non-indie rock friends as well.

I heard one song on the radio, and liked the stark acoustical style and pleasant voice enough to check it out. The real reason I bought the CD, though, was because of the raving 5 star reivews. In fact, after searching online, I found nothing but great reviews. Since there's already plenty to clue you into the virtues, I'll just comment on what disappointed me.

The lyrics convey emotion and visual imagery rather well, but they feel poorly constructed, lacking the rhythm and rhyming needed to really stick in my head. Some melodies meander around without purpose, while others are overly repetitve without any hint of conventional song structure. In short, they're boring. I realize that much of what I dislike is what others will love most. I'm listening to it as I write, and the last minute of Water and Sleep has a drum buildup that sounds like it should break into something melodic, but it just keeps pounding away with baredly audible vocals for the entire minute. I will admit, though, that it's getting a little better with repeated listening. So what can I say? "You Think ... Like This" has got it's high points, it's got it's beauty, it gets better with time, but this lo-fi production is definitely not for everyone.