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21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Personal Fav for 2006, December 12, 2006
By way of the internet, I was introduced to Mew initially through text. I had never actually heard their music, but by way of some few positive reviews, a little desperation, and a leap of faith, I purchased "And the Glass Handed Kites." Since it found its way into my CD player, I have concluded that it is my favorite album of 2006. Several albums have competed for this title over the course of the past few months, not the least of which was Muse's "Black Holes and Revelations." While competition was fierce between these two, I can confidently say that Mew has been the winner.
This is not meant to degrade (the more visible) Muse's efforts. In fact, my comparison between the two bands is meant to encourage fans to research this important Danish band for themselves. Mew exudes an aesthetic that coolly reflects both passion and intelligence. Lyrically, "And the Glass Handed Kites" walks the line that divides the surreal and the personal. Sonically, they strongly reference the late 80s, as well as 2K and many points in between, but their approach is so experimental and somehow accessible that they ultimately transcend any of the genres that are associated with either of these eras. Is it possible to reconcile the seemingly divergent styles of New Order and The Mars Volta? Miraculously, Mew seems to find a way to.
Because of their ability to ride the fence between the accessible and the experimental, Mew has been increasingly accepted by the prog community. However, the bulk of their influences lie outside of the accepted prog mainstream - perhaps a touch of Yes, but very little Genesis, ELP, etc. Instead Mew openly cites among their influences the pre-alternative bands of the late 80's such as My Bloody Valentine. "Special" is particularly reminiscent of this era. This approach gives them a widely acceptable soundscape for their experimentation, and an admittedly exciting format for those of us who love the spirit of that music but are exhausted with over 40 years of recycled prog clichés. The opening track "Circuitry of the Wolf" is deceptively lo-fi, and fooled me into thinking that I had the newest incarnation of the late 90s sound that was represented by Hum. It quickly opens up, however, and as it seamlessly segues into "Chinaberry Tree", we find a significant sonic and conceptual depth. This is driven home by Jonas' Bjerre's vocals. His control of intonation in the falsetto range is nothing short of extraordinary.
The album is conceptual in nature, and as a result it is very difficult to recommend a singular track as a representation. As an introduction, I would suggest finding a way to listen to a seamlessly segued medley that includes everything from "Fox Cub" to "Zookeeper's Boy" (including "Apacalypso" and "Special"). There are other really great tunes on the album, but this sequence is one of my favorites and it exemplifies what "And the Glass Handed Kites" has to offer. Some songs function as vignettes and others as pivotal set pieces. When a piece is conceived of as an album-length whole ( as in the style of Kevin Gilbert's "The Shaming of the True", the Flower Kings' "Garden of Dreams", the Who's "Tommy", or several selections from Pink Floyd's classic 70s work), I think that this is a necessary concession to allow for accessibility. Understanding "And the Glass Handed Kites" as a whole might require more of the casual contemporary listener than is fair, so breaking the album up into isolated tracks is probably essential to digesting its complexity.
Increasingly, I find myself researching modern music by looking for live video footage online. Many times, if I find some footage that really helps me to conceptualize a given band's approach, it helps me to understand their vision (this was influential in my acceptance of both Muse and Pure Reason Revolution). Pretty much 100% of the footage I have found of Mew has impressed me. I would suggest doing some searches, as there is quite a bit of Mew footage available. Watching lead vocalist Jonas Bjerre's eyes roll back into his head as the rest of the band alternates between aggressive grooves and emotional atmospheres is absolutely priceless.
The Lowdown: The atmosphere that Mew creates is almost sonically overwhelming at times. As I have stated in my previous King Crimson reviews, sometimes it feels like I just cannot experience the songs at a high enough volume, and I feel like I am reaching out for the connection that can only happen in a live performance. In a recent interview, Yes' Rick Wakeman lauded Mew's ability as a band that could "really play," specifically citing the vocal prowess of Bjerre. After several months, I concur: Wakeman's observations are valid and his advice is solid. Mew is a powerfully unique band that deserves wide attention. Plus, its distinctively Nordic feel makes rocking out in the winter seem like fun. Get it yesterday.
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15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating, if strange, October 3, 2005
If you're reading this, you're likely already a fan of this band, who's all but unknown in the US outside a small group who've been waiting for this record for a couple of years. So far the reaction's been remarkably positive for a record that is in many ways a departure from their sound. It's certainly the kind of album you'll need a number of listens to before you can really "hear".
Mew's an odd band. After releasing two stunning albums in Europe, they chose to put out an album--2003's Frengers--of remakes of some of those songs, along with some originals. Where the first two records were filled with sweeping, often gentle anthems, Frengers was an attempt to showcase their harder side. And it worked: these guys are startlingly good musicians, and the singer's got an amazing voice.
In fact, there was an undercurrent on Frengers of egghead musicianship that you could tell they wanted to indulge. And now two years later, they have. "..And the Glass Handed Kites" is in places a difficult album. And I mean that in the way you might call a math problem "difficult", or a piece of dense academic writing "difficult." Even the first single, "Special" is tuneful, but with rhythyms that never seem to settle down, sometimes stuttering three beats where your brain expects four, or adding beats to a phrase to extended it just a little long; it can be disorienting, although usually in a good way. And the tunes themselves, like "A Dark Design" are almost like arias, long *long* melodies that are just hard to get your head around. Then on the other hand there are some relatively straightforward songs like "Apocalypso", which you'll love if you liked Frengers' "Am I Wry? No." And "The Zookeeper's Boy" has a chorus you'll be singing for days.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mew... And the reason why I still believe in alternative rock, April 13, 2006
Are you one of those who think that Placebo's last stuff is quite disappointing and so you think that the last hope for artistic alternative rock is gone now? Well, I though the same way a few months ago, till I discover this great band listening some songs of Frengers and this last album, which, I must say, is one of the most ambitious, sincere and beautiful projects I ever heard. Every song of this record is so damned good that you know that either they have a really great ear for composing or one of them has studied musical theory a lot. The structures are unique, the progressions are brilliant, the melodies are unforgettable and the lyrics are all pure poetry.
The album as unity has such consistency and "fluency" that is impossible to conceive it in another way but as a journey through mysterious images that seem taken from twisted fairy tales, strange childhood dreams and gloomy lullabies. It kinda reminds me Smashing Pumpkins? "Mellon Collie" and The Cure's "Disintegration" in this aspect.
Another aspect of this masterpiece is that it seems to present a lot of contrasts. The album itself is a huge contrast if we compare it to its predecessor "Frengers" in which the songs offered lighter tones and sweeter sounds. Here, we have more like cloudy and muddier tones (A Dark Design, Fox Cub) heavier sounds, potent guitar riffs (Apocalypso, The Zookeeper's Boy) and stronger and more pronounced rhythms (Circuitry of the Wolf, Why are you looking grave?, Special) but never missing that soft and celestial "touch" that is a constant in all the stuff these guys compose (Chinaberry Tree, Saviours of Jazz Ballet, White Lips Kissed). In "Frengers" we heard the voices of Becky Jarrete (a 14 years old girl) and Stina Nordenstam accompanying Jonas Bjerre's voice in songs like "Symmetry" and "Her Voice is beyond her years". In contrast, in this album we have a very unexpected kind of voice accompanying Jonas in "Why are you looking grave" and "An Envoy to the open fields". Of course, I'm talking about J Mascis, whose voice is not exactly the soft and sweet kind of voice that we expect to listen in a Mew song.
As other people have already said, this is not an album which you're going to love from the very first time you listen to it and this is not an album you'll appreciate if you like "cool" and "trivial" mainstream rock. This is a real artistic musical project of one of the few bands left that actually know what they are doing, both in musical and in an aesthetical way. So, you may have to listen it more than once to become familiar with its songs, but once you had gotten into it, you'll remember my words when I say that you'll be listening one of the 10 Alternative rock masterpieces of all times.
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