mewithoutYou - It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's All a Dream! It's Alright
Rating
RIYL
Bright EyesCursive
Modest Mouse
Counting Crows
Release Date
05/19/2009
Label
Tooth And NailTracklist
1. Every Thought a Thought of You2. The Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie
3. The Angel of Death Came to David's Room
4. Goodbye, I!
5. A Stick, a Carrot and String
6. Bullet to Binary (pt. two)
7. Timothy Hay
8. Fig with a Bellyache
9. Cattail Down
10. The King Beetle on a Coconut Estate
11. Allah, Allah, Allah
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Before reading this entire review, it’s important to understand one fact: the mewithoutYou we’ve loved over the past decade is dead. Still interested in reading? Good, because despite the change in their music, the band is still putting out quality material as seen with their latest offering It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All a Dream! It’s Alright.
Long-time fans are already aware of the band’s progression towards a more mellow sound but on mewithoutYou’s previous releases, passion and intensity were still prevalent in the music and Aaron Weiss’ words. Unlike Brother, Sister the band has moved to a straight up folk sound this time around and Weiss no longer shouts at all – he only sings or talks. To get a feel for the sound on It’s All Crazy…, look back to the spider/leaf interludes from Brother, Sister. The band seemingly used these songs for inspiration when writing new material because the tracks on the new record have the same kind of feel but are more fleshed out with lush instrumentation.
The opener, “Every Thought a Thought of You,” is a worthy introduction to the tone of the album. It’s not too far off the pace set by Brother, Sister and acclimates the listener to an uplifting vibe that carries through the entire album. “The Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie” comes next and features a complex mix of instruments with a catchy vocal melody that almost makes you forget how Weiss used to sing – emphasis on almost.
After this point, mewithoutYou assumes the listener is comfortable with the new sound and really starts to experiment. “The Angel of Death Came to David’s Room” is a mix between a country song and a hymn that builds to a climax that never quite happens. Weiss teases listeners on “Bullet to Binary (pt. two),” using his more aggressive vocal style – the only time on the album this happens. “Timothy Hay” has a nice laid back feel to the music that eventually leads to a group chorus of, “What a beautiful God there must be.” Overall, about half of the songs on It’s All Crazy… are truly enjoyable, while the others suffer from over-experimentation. Weiss’ beloved allegorical writing style is still intact which keeps the songs interesting, but it’s not enough to save some of them.
The issues with It’s All Crazy… should be obvious by now. The most serious problem being the huge leap taken from Brother, Sister to the point where the band is almost unrecognizable. Many people fell in love with this band because of Weiss’ vocal style, and listeners may be turned off by the complete abandonment of it. Additionally, mewithoutYou went from a unique band with unique music and unique vocals to just another folk band that experiments with various instruments, basically a God-loving version of Bright Eyes. There are so many bands that play this style of music already, it’s a shame to see a truly talented band make the move to mediocrity.
Once the sting of disappointment wears off, It’s All Crazy… isn’t all that bad. However, it’s not nearly as effective as Brother, Sister, which achieved just the right mix of passion and intensity while still showing a more mature and focused mewithoutYou. Die hard fans will still probably enjoy this release but the rest of us will be left saying, “I tried to love you, and I failed.”
--Nicholas Fritz
Comments
I haven't been able to get into this album at all, and I was a big fan of Brother, Sister.
Coopersburg, PA
I hated to it at first to be honest, especially since it's nothing like their other stuff. Then I tried forgetting it was them and focused on the music and there are some really good tunes on here for this genre - I think this is only really going to appeal for fans of folk and/or christian music though. I rated it a 3 because, to me, A to B life is a 5.0 - Catch for Us the Foxes is a 4.0 - Brother, Sister is a 4.5 - and this doesn't compare to them but still an overall good release.
Minnesota
La Dispute > mewithoutYou
I initially thought this was a pretty drab album... a 2/5 for me, but then I listened to it again and found myself hitting next on almost every track. True, I've never been the band's biggest fan, but their first two releases at least had some interesting moments. This... just doesn't.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Waterloo, Ontario
Catch for us the foxes, is one of my favourite albums of all time. I'll have to hear this album before I make any judgements but its sad to hear that this album isn't even going to come close to their previous work.
Top Ten of 2009 http://www.decoymusic.com/users/3747/top_tens/2009
Toronto, Ontario
this album sounds like a super religious Raffi album.
"Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative."
MySpace / Facebook
Minnesota
Hahahahahaha.... I laugh because it's true.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Claremont, CA
absolutely agree.
London, UK
I think this review is about spot on. Not a bad album... but so far, a big disappointment.
Currently listening to:
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster - Exegesis
Suspyre - Suspyre
Hot Water Music - Exister
7 Horns 7 Eyes - Throes Of Absolution
San Jose, CA
I'd have to disagree here. La Dispute has a lot of energy, but uses too many riffs that sound all too familiar in the "scene" section of post hardcore. mwY was before La Dispute, has more mature songwriting, better lyrics and a discography that has withstood the test of time for a lot of people.
I haven't heard this yet, but I liked the song on Myspace.
last.fm/user/thetsaiguy
Somewhere in New York
"If someone gives you a kazoo and toots around the house to MTV, they're not gonna fuck you." - David Cross
This is OK ... but I agree it sounds like a Christian version of Raffi. I prefer Brother Sister.
Beer Blog
Toronto, Ontario
I love mwY, but this album does not have good lyrics at all. Everything is repeated three times and it sounds very religious camp-ish. The religious aspect of the band never bothered me until I heard this album.
"Use short sentences. Use short first paragraphs. Use vigorous English. Be positive, not negative."
MySpace / Facebook
West Haven, CT
He shouts in Bullet to Binary (pt. two.)
The music on this CD is good here and there.
The lyrics are pretty awful which is depressing since Aaron was always on the top of his game.
The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.
Minnesota
Yeah, as I read through some of the lyrics on this album, they're kind of awful. Especially considering Weiss is lauded by so many as having deeper lyrics.
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West Haven, CT
This is their worst CD and as far as I'm concerned they're dead to me.
I'm just waiting for the inevitable break up.
The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.
VT
Maybe I'm the only one who notices, but I think their albums get worse after every release. Their first 2 EPs were incredible, AB Life and Catch For Us the Foxes were also very good. I didn't like Brother, Sister much, and I think this one is barely listenable.
My Top Songs of '09
The Appleseed Cast//as the little things go
Caspian//sycamore
Sunwrae//Chinook Winds
Dredg//down to the seller
If These Trees Could Talk//the sun is in the north
From Monument to Masses//an ounce of prevention
Straylight Run//i'm through with the past
LpShinobi's Post-Rock and Shoegazing Recommendation, via YouTube
Lpshinobi's Post-Rock Band, New Song Posted
Minnesota
I would agree with that statement... except about the EPs... because I haven't listened to them so I don't know what they sound like.
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NJ
you can't even compare them to la dispute now. mwY have been out of the post hardcore genre since 2004
I like this album so far. its definitely not the best thing they've done.
Go FLYERS Go
Minnesota
I think for people that want older mewithoutYou action, La Dispute is the way to go. If they want Christian Raffi, then listen to the new mewithoutYou :-)
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Coopersburg, PA
I've heard that from alot of people. To me though, I think Brother, Sister was a step up from Catch for us the Foxes. There's only a few songs I really like on Catch for us the Foxes, while Brother Sister works better as a whole album with solid songs throughout the whole thing.
West Haven, CT
Brother, Sister had a good flow as a whole package deal.
I think CFUTF was a much better CD though.
The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.
I know everyone is going to get really pissed off about this, but I'm going to say it anyways. This is the best mewithoutYou album to date. Don't get me wrong, I loved their other albums, but this one is just great. I'm glad they're finally moving away from the whole "scene" type of music. I'm tired of people thinking that just because an album doesn't have heavy, distorted guitars, that it isn't good. As far as lyrical content goes, anyone that thinks that his lyrics have gotten worse have no idea what songwriting is, or poetry for that matter. I've been a fan ofmewithoutYou for a while now, and I understand that you people get mad because they're changing their sound, but how boring would it be if every album sounded like Catch for us the Foxes. They're growing as a band, and you can hear it progressively in each of their albums.
London, UK
Have to say this album has been growing on me more and more with each listen. I was never put off by any particular change in their sound, I just didn't like it as much as their previous albums (Brother Sister being my favourite). That said, it keeps getting better with repeated listens and the overtly Christian content isn't grating with me like it did at first. Sometimes it helps to leave an album alone for a few days and then come back to it.
Currently listening to:
Ne Obliviscaris - Portal of I
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster - Exegesis
Suspyre - Suspyre
Hot Water Music - Exister
7 Horns 7 Eyes - Throes Of Absolution
Minnesota
Sorry, still can't listen to this album all the way through. It's embarassingly bad.
Find me EVERYWHERE:
Embarassing for who? And who are you to judge whether music is bad or not? Do you play any instruments?Do you have any sort of degree in music? Have you ever been in a band before? Have you ever written music before? It bothers me that the people that seem to be most critical of music have no qualifications to judge music other than the fact that they listen tomusic in their car a lot,or maybe know how to play some barre chords on a guitar. You can't truly appretiate music unless you are a musician.