Sunday, June 28, 2009

12-Step Program - Mae

"Fuckin' shit, dude, have your heard Mae? They're bitchin'!" "Hot damn, I'm listening to Mae and that is some good ass shit!" "Mae? More like Mae-ke me orgasm!"


If you have ever been bombarded by a bunch of your firends (or just one really zealous friend) who sound like this and want you listen to Mae, I have good news. Today, I introduce my 12-Step Program to get into Mae. See, I give you songs that you might like, and once you get used to their sound, I give you songs you really should have. The way this should be done is as follows: download the first track and listen to it as you read what I have to say about it. Next, download the second track and read what I have to say about it. Continue in this fashion, listening to the songs in order. If you just can't get into them, the band isn't right for you. If you do get into them, visit their myspace, buy their songs, and see them on tour when they come to town.

And now for my first 12-Step program, I present Mae.

Mae is an uplifitng piano pop band from Virginia, who originally worke their way up the label ladder to get signed to Capitol, only to go label-less and devote all of their efforts to charity. They have released three major albums, Destination: Beautiful, The Everglow, and Singularity, along with a b-sides album and a few recent EPs. Their style has shifted from atmospheric to piano pop to rock. For the first step of Mae's 12-Step program, I would like to present "The Everglow".


"The Everglow" is an incredibly uplifting song about falling in love. Here you get a taste of Dave Elkin's somewhat unique vocals, the pleasing piano melody, and the effects that Mae use to create music that goes beyond standard instrumentation and creates moods and feelings. The chorus is big and upbeat, with spacey synth keys that make you feel like you're falling into the stars.


"Suspension," like "The Everglow," is off Mae's second album The Everglow and is a song about falling in love. The song basically has a similar feel to "The Everglow" but with fewer effects to create a more standard, but whole, experience. There is more guitar in "Suspension" than in "The Everglow," but the piano continues to bring a sense of light and happiness to your listening.


"Brink of Disaster" displays a change from the innocent, piano-infected mood of The Everglow as we move into the spacy realm of Singularity. The synth present in the intro and choruses of "Brink of Disaster" bring to mind a more outer-space-oriented feel, and might be reminiscent of those used by Motion City Soundtrack. Mae continues with their very ctachy choruses and slightly more subdues choruses in the vein of "Suspension,"but the intrumentation and vocals create grittier, harder feel than The Everglow's softer, more springy sound.


"Just Let Go" is a return to the relaxing feel of The Everglow, but what puts it on Singularity is its focus on guitar instead of piano. The lyrics are very relatable and talk about falling in love with a close friend, mirroring the romantic aspect of The Everglow. If you like this softer side of Mae, stick to this song, "Release Me," and "The Ocean".


The slow intro to "Home" brings about the atmospheric feeling of floating through space or walking on the moon. This feeling continues with the verses, but the choruses are some of the most energetic Mae has ever created and are reminiscent of those in "Suspension." "Home" reveals Mae's talent in creating spacey atmospheres while still creating catchy hooks and meaningful lyrics.


Redone from Destination: Beautiful, "Embers and Envelopes" brings back the atmospheric feeling of Mae's first album Singulairty. What identifies the song as being from D: Beautiful is its intense atmospheric quality which leaves room only for Dave's vocals and an acoustic guitar behind all the production and effects. Nonetheless, this is one of Mae's best songs, and makes the best use of their talent in production and mood creation.

Well, you have just received your 12-Step (6-song) education in Mae. If you like what you hear, please check out their other songs and see them live! If you haven't cought onto Mae yet, they probably aren't for you.

If you prefer their more rock-oriented songs, like "Brink of Disaster," check out "Crazy 8s," "Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone," and "Sic Semper Tyrannis". "For more songs in the poppy vein of "The Everglow," look toaward "Anything," "Cover Me," and "Breakdown". For more spacey rock in the vein of "Home," check out "Rocket" and "On Top". Finally, if you like the atmospheric vibe of "Embers and Envelopes," consider "This Time Is the Last Time (Wave Remix)". I hope have enjoyed today's 12-Step Program!

2 comments:

Tanya said...

Tis love. Thanks, m'dear. I will always be your number one fan and follower. x)

<3

Kian Lavi said...

Is Step 13 Web Design??
http://aranezmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/web-design-main.jpg