Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
..., September 26, 2006
I have had the pre-release of this album for about a month and a half and I cannot describe how utterly amazed and estatic I was when I first heard "Messes of Men" drip through my speakers. I knew that mwY had it in them to just totally smash my expectations... but I didn't expect it.
And they did.
This album is one of those fantastic cds that works well as a whole album... and just about every song works exceptionally well as a stand alone track, also. There are times when saying that the album flows from one song to another is a bad thing... but in this case it doesn't mean that the songs sound the same at all. They just work really well together in their sequencing.
Compared to their past work this album feels more organic and textured. A lot more acoustic guitars (that's right, Aaron picks up the hippie axe)... some horns (coutesy of Anathallo)... a little accorian-esque critter (also done by Aaron)... which, when coupled with some astonishing song twists and turns is quite a stunning experience.
Perhaps the single thing that most catapults this album is the great background vocals. They are first demonstrated on track one, "Messes of Men." Aaron mumbles through several verses, at first accompanied by raindrops... then by the rest of the band. And then the back ground vocals bring a theatrical flair, moaning above Aaron "Oh my G-d!" Shivers!
What mewithoutYou has done is craft not only a career defining masterpiece, but an album that could well join scenester hipsters, the anti-folk crowd, the post-punk Fugazi faithful, poetry slam attendees, emo self-depricists, and Christians all in one careless sweep.
Will everyone "get it"? No. But enough people should "get it" to catapult mewithoutYou to the upper echelons of stardom.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brother, Sister Best Effort Yet, September 26, 2006
Once again, mewithoutYou deliver a very good album. Only this time around, we must call their newest effort Excellent. A beautiful Vasily Kafanov painting adorns the cover of the album, which follows precedence. The music inside the cover takes a cue from the painting itself. Layered with gorgeous orchestration and lush harmonies, Brother, Sister is sure to please. This album proves the band has taken another step down the road of musical progression and artistic expression. Not as hard as their first record; not as spare as their second- this one is just right.
Equally dreamy and dramatic, Aaron Weiss sings us lullabies guised as differently colored spiders and nearly brings tears to the eyes of the soft-hearted on the opening track, Messes of Men. The closing track, In a Sweater Poorly Knit will sweep you away on a wave of ecstasy. As for all of the songs in between- well, you'll just have to listen and make up your own mind. Anyone searching for filler will be hard pressed trying to find it on this album. Brother, Sister will seep into your ears and plant seeds in your heart. Cherish these tunes and cultivate their message with care. May God Bless You.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
So the hype has set your expectations high?, October 1, 2006
Where to begin? As much hype as this record has received I didn't believe my expectations could be met. Boy was I wrong. In fact, this may be a dark horse candidate for album of the year. And with gems out this year like TV on the Radio's "Return to Cookie Mountain," Thom Yorke's "The Eraser," Anathallo's "Floating World," Band of Horses "Everything All the Time" and The Format's "Dog Problems," that's saying a lot.
This record exhibits more depth than past releases. Where "Catch for Us the Foxes" showed that the band was capable of far more than they let on in "A->B:Life," "Brother, Sister" shows an even further and more promising progression. In some ways an amalgam of their previous two releases and in other ways something completely new and special, we hear almost right away that the band has been busy evolving. Vocalist Aaron Weiss is our first example of progress as he has taken a greater interest in actually singing. While this is nothing new, the frequency with which he colors his poetry with melody has increased significantly. It seems that he is beginning to discover that power of his fragile voice as he has also begun to expand the expressive range of his "speaking" voice, ranging from a soft spoken introduction in "Messes of Men," to the now familiar shouting.
Of course, our progress doesn't stop there. While the band tends to lean more heavily on musical textures reminiscent of those found on "...Foxes," they also bring back a little bit of the post-hardcore found on their debut, all while expanding on both of those sounds and expanding their instrumentation to included harp, accordian, acoustic guitars and brass. All of these instruments lend a depth to their sound that has always been alluded to in the past, but not really fleshed out completely until now. Even their new way of using backing vocals gives them a newfound power, with the other band members sounding like a broken choir. As an added bonus, we get a guest appearance by the unmistakable Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft). Normally the use of a guest vocalist doesn't lend much added depth to a song. Not the case here. Enigk's high, shredded cry brings a chilling effect to the backing vocals on "Dryness and the Rain," as well as to the not-so-background vocals on "O, Porcupine."
Perhaps the most accomplished aspect of this record is its construction. Though each song works well on its own, it's really the experience of the record as a whole from start to finish that helps it stand out. Even more impressive is their ability to convey a sense of the epic without resorting to epic song lengths.
Lyrically, this release is just as strong as ever, if not their strongest yet. However, this album is also their most "christian" album, frequently referencing the likes of Moses, Job, and, of course, Jesus. Those turned off by such blatantly religious content shouldn't be too disauded as Aaron's lyrics tend to come across as more personal than preachy.
If you didn't know before, you should know now: this is a band to watch in the coming years. Having a record this accomplished this early in their career is impressive enough, but having each one out-do the last is more rare still. Check this album out. You won't be disappointed.
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