Mew – No More Stories / Are Told Today / I’m Sorry / They Washed Away / No More Stories / The World Is Grey / I’m Tired / Let’s Wash Away (August 17, 2009)
October 22, 2009, by Gayane Aghababyan
This is another story.. What should I say?
Well, probably I will say that the first time I tried to listen to the album, nothing came out: I stopped it on the 3rd song, it was really a difficult music. Then I thought: “Hey, I like this kind of music, then what’s the problem?” And so one month later I decided to take this risk and… this time I managed! Impressions were amazing!
First of all, Mew (from Denmark) always release really eccentric albums, so different from each other. If there wasn’t Jonas’ vocal, I would think those are different bands playing. But besides the vocal there is something that identifies the band. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot tell you what is that exactly! But, for sure, it’s somewhere in subconsciousness.
First of all, Mew (from Denmark) always release really eccentric albums, so different from each other. If there wasn’t Jonas’ vocal, I would think those are different bands playing. But besides the vocal there is something that identifies the band. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot tell you what is that exactly! But, for sure, it’s somewhere in subconsciousness.
No More Stories Are Told Today, I’m Sorry, They Washed Away, No More Stories, The World Is Grey, I’m Tired, Let’s Wash Away: Have you ever seen such a long name for album? By the way, these are the lyrics of A Dream, which are repeating throughout the whole song.
This album is really different from the previous ones (it seems everybody decided to change their sounds in 2009, just to remember Arctic Monkeys). First of all, they are using much broken beats (of course, they are always using this trick but with THIS music it creates a different atmosphere). Mew used synth sounds: I think this is the first time ever they did it (if I’m not mistaken). As a result, with broken beats it somehow makes an illusion of dance music.. But, I mean, after 10 seconds you will realize that it’s not really a dance music. Although, if Repeaterbeater ever is played in a disco, maybe there will be people dancing to it. Hmmm.. can make a try..First Single: Introducing Palace Players.
One more interesting thing on the album: there is a chorus! It spreads warm waves on some songs, which is sometimes really needed for Scandinavian bands, and Mew is not an exception. As a result, the music is still cold and snowy, but it seems that there are burning candles everywhere. Perhaps, this impression is the reason why I’m writing this not in the light of an electric lamp but a candle. Hawaii is just too beautiful! :)
An album with a mood that changes rapidly: from aggressive Repeaterbeater to the tired A Dream, from electro Tricks to transparent Silas The Magic Car, from the sunny Beach to abstract Reprise.. Till now all the Mews you knew, even more, are concentrated in this record.
But this wouldn’t be Mew if they didn’t have any other trick in the album, more than that, on the first track! New Terrain, the opening track is another song originally, but reversed, titled Nervous.
And so, if you ask me if you need to have a listen to this record, I will say no, if you are not ready. This is not an easy band: you have to tame them. :)
Mew mew, Gaya
