Mae - The Everglow

[murlough23]

I just always keep the volume high on everything (unless the kids are in the car, of course).  So many artists now tend to have a very wide dynamic range, so the "not being able to hear" thing with lo-fi albums just isn't a problem with me at all as I just keep at a volume where I know I can hear the quiet pieces.

I tend to play stuff loud when I'm in the car by myself, but this can still be a problem with extremely quiet sections of several albums. When I listen to The Joshua Tree, I can't hear the entire first minute of "Exit", which really bugs because I have a temperamental CD player that can sometimes blink off without my realizing it when it's during a quiet section of an album. Maybe my stereo system just sucks or I get too much outside noise, but still, I hate having those really long gaps on certain albums.

Obviously it's not a problem when using headphones, but I obviously can't do that while driving.

[bloop]

I tend to play stuff loud when I'm in the car by myself, but this can still be a problem with extremely quiet sections of several albums. When I listen to The Joshua Tree, I can't hear the entire first minute of "Exit", which really bugs because I have a temperamental CD player that can sometimes blink off without my realizing it when it's during a quiet section of an album. Maybe my stereo system just sucks or I get too much outside noise, but still, I hate having those really long gaps on certain albums.

Obviously it's not a problem when using headphones, but I obviously can't do that while driving.

I can only think of two songs where that really irks me, but I love them.  "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans" from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is hard to hear for, like, a solid minute if I recall.  Most of the time, my car CD player is at 23 or 24, which is pretty high for that system.  Whenever that song is on, I go to 27-28.  

The other song is by the same band, called "Silverf**k" (I'm at school, I can't type that out fully).  It's very quiet in the middle.  The Smashing Pumpkins had something of an infatuation with the soft-loud dynamic.

[Waltrane]

The other song is by the same band, called "Silverf**k" (I'm at school, I can't type that out fully).  It's very quiet in the middle.  The Smashing Pumpkins had something of an infatuation with the soft-loud dynamic.

I freakin love that song, especially the drumming on it. Just so you know...

I'm with Wildcat on the drumming thing, except I've played for 20+ years. Jess, I'll be more than happy to teach you how. I'm teaching this cool 14 year-old homeschool girl. She's getting pretty good too.  

[murlough23]

Count me among the people who want to learn to play the drums one day.

[bloop]

Nah - it'd give me a terrible headache, but I respect those that can do it a great deal.  I wish I knew the piano (or harpsichord) more than any other instrument.

[Wildcatblue7]

I freakin love that song, especially the drumming on it. Just so you know...

I'm with Wildcat on the drumming thing, except I've played for 20+ years. Jess, I'll be more than happy to teach you how. I'm teaching this cool 14 year-old homeschool girl. She's getting pretty good too.

How are you going to teach me from Chicago?!  haha.  

[murlough23]

Another thing that excites the drummer in me is complicated time signatures. Explains a lot about some of my musical preferences.

NP: "Born", Over the Rhine

[Wildcatblue7]

Another thing that excites the drummer in me is complicated time signatures. Explains a lot about some of my musical preferences.

NP: "Born", Over the Rhine

ding ding.  Just one more reason Dream Theater makes me swoon.  Or maybe just sigh in contentment.

[bloop]

I can appreciate that as well.  Also, it doesn't happen much, but I really love songs with time signatures that only seem to be very complex when they are, in fact, 4/4 or 3/4 or just shifting between the simple, common time signatures.  It's neat when a sound is so layered, it's hard to pick it up.

[amalgamate]

I totally agree.  "Painless" is easily one of, if not the, best track on the entire record.  

I also think "Anything" is excellent, but otherwise there really aren't any other songs I absolutely love.  
As far as bad tracks go, I dislike "Breakdown".  Bleh.    As much as I want to hate "We're So Far Away", I find myself enjoying it as an opener.  Kind of strange, but if it were on any other spot in the song order, I probably would have hated it.
Here's my full review, if anyone cared.  
Mae- The Everglow

haha, man...i'm just really NOT into that song. I love the piano in the verses but i think there's something about the hook in the chorus that i just don't like. I don't dislike it because it's fast or harder or whatever...i like the other songs that are similar in style.

My faves on the album are probably "we're so far away", "someone elses arms", "The Ocean", and "the countdown."

not necessarily in that order..but eh, two harder and faster and two slower and steadier. I like breakdown a lot though, i mean, it can't be that bad when it gets stuck in my head for hours on end. (or can it? hehe)

[murlough23]

I think I'm onto something here regarding our abilities to notice detail in different areas. Josh and some others, for example, can pick out nuances and details in sparse folk/jazz-oriented albums that I often don't pick up or appreciate. (Sam Phillips' A Boot and a Shoe is a primary example - outside of a few songs, I just cannot get into that album because it all sounds the same to me.) I think I have that ability when it comes to rock albums that others might dismiss as ordinary, which enables me to enjoy bands like Matchbox 20 and Mae who might sound rather run-of-the-mill if listened to more casually.

I can appreciate that as well. Also, it doesn't happen much, but I really love songs with time signatures that only seem to be very complex when they are, in fact, 4/4 or 3/4 or just shifting between the simple, common time signatures. It's neat when a sound is so layered, it's hard to pick it up.

Exactly! Like Frank Van Essen's drumming in Iona's song "Castlerigg" - there's a section where the rhtyhm seems really complex, but it's really just 4/4 played in an unorthodox manner. How can a band be so lucky as to have had not one, but two of the best drummers I've ever heard?

Perhaps the ultimate example would be "Pyramid Song". I figured out at one point that the rhythm could be counted off into even patterns of 8 or 16 or something like that, but it's still confusing as hell to try and follow along with it.

i mean, it can't be that bad when it gets stuck in my head for hours on end. (or can it? hehe)

Ever had a commercial jingle stuck in your head?

NP: "Audrey, Start the Revolution!", Anberlin

[Wildcatblue7]

Ever had a commercial jingle stuck in your head?

The Tender Crisp Bacon Cheddar Ranch!

Dang you, Hootie.    

[Josh]

I think I'm onto something here regarding our abilities to notice detail in different areas. Josh and some others, for example, can pick out nuances and details in sparse folk/jazz-oriented albums that I often don't pick up or appreciate. (Sam Phillips' A Boot and a Shoe is a primary example - outside of a few songs, I just cannot get into that album because it all sounds the same to me.) I think I have that ability when it comes to rock albums that others might dismiss as ordinary, which enables me to enjoy bands like Matchbox 20 and Mae who might sound rather run-of-the-mill if listened to more casually.

A fair point. One thing I love about the last two Sam Phillips recordings is the resonant sound of the old acoustic instruments-- something that many pholks won't even notice, much less care about, which is totally understandable. Likewise, I'm willing to admit that bands with grungy electric guitars and verse-chorus-solo song structures-- like Mae-- tend to sound the same to me, which may not be totally fair.

[Waltrane]

I freakin love that song, especially the drumming on it. Just so you know...

I'm with Wildcat on the drumming thing, except I've played for 20+ years. Jess, I'll be more than happy to teach you how. I'm teaching this cool 14 year-old homeschool girl. She's getting pretty good too.

How are you going to teach me from Chicago?!  haha.

My talent level transcends state lines...

It's easier than it seems - well at least to start. I'm a big fan of good time sigs and fills. That Adam Watts album on BEC, I thought it'd be a snooze fest, but there are some pretty complicated things going down on some songs (Critical Condition - it's in 6/8 for most of the song, but sounds like 4/4)  

[murlough23]

A fair point. One thing I love about the last two Sam Phillips recordings is the resonant sound of the old acoustic instruments-- something that many pholks won't even notice, much less care about, which is totally understandable. Likewise, I'm willing to admit that bands with grungy electric guitars and verse-chorus-solo song structures-- like Mae-- tend to sound the same to me, which may not be totally fair.

So in other words, if the sound maintained throughout the album is a sound that you like, it doesn't matter if it's samey, because you like hearing it on every track. And I sort of agree. I actually like a lot of clear, uncluttered folks albums where the acoustic instruments can really resonate. And I like full-bodied rock songs as well when the different elements of the mix can stand out and it's not just a mushed wall of indistinct guitar and drums. That's probably why I prefer the smooth and clear production style to the dirtier, murkier kind - it may be more "artsy" to muffle your sound, but I like to hear what's going on. At the same time, I don't want too mcuh production gloss adding needless elements or making something sound pristine that isn't supposed to sound pristine.

A recent example of an album where the acoustic instruments really resonate, but the production is still very crisp and clear and there's a lot going on in the mix, would be Share the Well by Caedmon's Call. The sound of that album is very thrilling to me.

[Josh]

So in other words, if the sound maintained throughout the album is a sound that you like, it doesn't matter if it's samey, because you like hearing it on every track. And I sort of agree. I actually like a lot of clear, uncluttered folks albums where the acoustic instruments can really resonate. And I like full-bodied rock songs as well when the different elements of the mix can stand out and it's not just a mushed wall of indistinct guitar and drums. That's probably why I prefer the smooth and clear production style to the dirtier, murkier kind - it may be more "artsy" to muffle your sound, but I like to hear what's going on. At the same time, I don't want too mcuh production gloss adding needless elements or making something sound pristine that isn't supposed to sound pristine.

A recent example of an album where the acoustic instruments really resonate, but the production is still very crisp and clear and there's a lot going on in the mix, would be Share the Well by Caedmon's Call. The sound of that album is very thrilling to me.

Well, not exactly. I don't share your criticism that the songs on A Boot and a Shoe sound samey; I think there's plenty of variation in the melodies, the arrangements, etc., and the whole thing maintains my attention from start to finish. So while the songs all share some uniformly great qualities-- the aforementioned sound of the instruments, to name one-- I'm not using that as an excuse for the album's (non-existant, imo) sameyness.

[murlough23]

Well, not exactly. I don't share your criticism that the songs on A Boot and a Shoe sound samey; I think there's plenty of variation in the melodies, the arrangements, etc., and the whole thing maintains my attention from start to finish. So while the songs all share some uniformly great qualities-- the aforementioned sound of the instruments, to name one-- I'm not using that as an excuse for the album's (non-existant, imo) sameyness.

Right, and that's exactly how I feel about The Everglow, despite your criticisms of it.

[bloop]

And that's exactly how I feel about the Sleater-Kinney, despite Josh's criticisms of it.  I think the three of us just have very obvious differences, but I know I trust the two of you for advice on what deserves some attention, and my lack of excitement for Mae and Matchbox 20, and Josh's for SK, Sonic Youth, and others that are really pretty fantastic aren't going to change that.  Group hug already?

[Guest]

(Sam Phillips' A Boot and a Shoe is a primary example - outside of a few songs, I just cannot get into that album because it all sounds the same to me.)

It's subtle, extremely subtle. I prefer The Fan Dance over that one because the variety is a bit more up front.

I don't mean to side with Josh here, but I haven't heard the other albums mentioned. (Although the hype about Mae is starting to get me interested)

[murlough23]

And that's exactly how I feel about the Sleater-Kinney, despite Josh's criticisms of it.  I think the three of us just have very obvious differences, but I know I trust the two of you for advice on what deserves some attention, and my lack of excitement for Mae and Matchbox 20, and Josh's for SK, Sonic Youth, and others that are really pretty fantastic aren't going to change that.  Group hug already?

Hey, I'm cool with it. Nobody is required to like everything that I like. It's just frustrating to see it get blasted on unfair grounds.

I mean, I can't get into Sam Phillips or Sonic Youth, but I can see their merits and I respect what they're doing. So I'm fine with it if you guys see Mae that way.

(Although the hype about Mae is starting to get me interested)

Maybe hype is the problem. I think somewhere along the line, this album got made out to be this amazing, revolutionary rock album, and while I think it's highly enjoyable, I don't expect it to change somebody's world. It's a solid piece of work and it's worth checking out. Go into it expecting to have a good time, but not to be totally blown away by every second of it.

NP: "Share the Well", Caedmon's Call

[danny316]

Maybe hype is the problem. I think somewhere along the line, this album got made out to be this amazing, revolutionary rock album, and while I think it's highly enjoyable, I don't expect it to change somebody's world. It's a solid piece of work and it's worth checking out. Go into it expecting to have a good time, but not to be totally blown away by every second of it.

It depends where the hype is coming from. If I had heard a bunch of kids making it out to be some revolutionary rock album, I wouldn't care. Knowing that you, Josh, and a few others around here like it makes me think it might be worth a shot.

Which reminds me, I bought Caedmon's self-titled the other day after seeing it on your top 50. I think I'll do that for this weeks SGTC, which should be fun (since I have a history of disliking the majority of Caedmon's stuff I hear).

[murlough23]

It depends where the hype is coming from. If I had heard a bunch of kids making it out to be some revolutionary rock album, I wouldn't care. Knowing that you, Josh, and a few others around here like it makes me think it might be worth a shot.

I guess I wouldn't consider that "hype" so much as a recommendation from trusted friends. To me, "hype" is when seemingly everybody is fawning over something and the sheer momentum of it is making people feel like they're supposed to like it.

Which reminds me, I bought Caedmon's self-titled the other day after seeing it on your top 50. I think I'll do that for this weeks SGTC, which should be fun (since I have a history of disliking the majority of Caedmon's stuff I hear).

I was surprised that I ended up putting it so high, actually. It just turned out to be that solid of an album when I went back and really examined it.

I have to wonder if the majority of Caedmon's stuff you've heard has been from In the Company of Angels and Back Home, both of which are rather bland albums. Before and after those albums, they've been rock solid (Long Line of Leavers being a mildly shaky entry, but still very good).

Hmmm... did they even bother putting out any radio singles from Share the Well?

[starhawk]

Hmmm... did they even bother putting out any radio singles from Share the Well?

I believe "There's Only One (Only One)" got some rounds on the radio, though I don't think it went far.

Though I own all of their records and I used to enjoy Caedmons' Call's older material (pre- In the Company of Angles), I find them far less interesting now than I once did.

[Dan]

I was surprised that I ended up putting it so high, actually. It just turned out to be that solid of an album when I went back and really examined it.

I have to wonder if the majority of Caedmon's stuff you've heard has been from In the Company of Angels and Back Home, both of which are rather bland albums. Before and after those albums, they've been rock solid (Long Line of Leavers being a mildly shaky entry, but still very good).

After all that talk about Caedmon's Call, I wound up picking another album for SGTC. I'd say that Caedmon's is 4 stars anyway, so it wouldn't have been any fun over there. It's a good CD though. The lyrics are pretty insightful too, which is always a nice touch. I can see why some people like them so much now.

Most of the stuff I had heard from them that I can remember was from In The Company of Angels. Thankful grew on me (I used to hate that one with a passion), but the songs I heard from Back Home were pretty forgettable. I can't even remember which songs they were now that I think about it. I like this album though.  

[murlough23]

Most of the stuff I had heard from them that I can remember was from In The Company of Angels. Thankful grew on me (I used to hate that one with a passion), but the songs I heard from Back Home were pretty forgettable. I can't even remember which songs they were now that I think about it. I like this album though.

You might want to give 40 Acres a try. And of course, I can't stop raving about Share the Well, which is really a surprising thing, because I was all but ready to give up on the new incarnation of the band sans Derek Webb.

NP: "The Roses", Caedmon's Call

[Waltrane]

You might want to give 40 Acres a try. And of course, I can't stop raving about Share the Well, which is really a surprising thing, because I was all but ready to give up on the new incarnation of the band sans Derek Webb.

NP: "The Roses", Caedmon's Call

It's the addition of Andrew Osenga. That's why you like them again. Just trust me on this...

[adriftconscious]

Maybe hype is the problem. I think somewhere along the line, this album got made out to be this amazing, revolutionary rock album, and while I think it's highly enjoyable, I don't expect it to change somebody's world. It's a solid piece of work and it's worth checking out. Go into it expecting to have a good time, but not to be totally blown away by every second of it.

NP: "Share the Well", Caedmon's Call

Bingo. That's exactly where I'm sitting on this album right now. I went out and bought it and Coldplay's newest today because I've heard uniformly good-- or indifferent-- things from you guys. I haven't had a chance to spin X&Y yet, but I've listened through The Everglow. It usually takes me three or four listens to really formulate an opinion on things because I listen for new things each time through-- first time: melody, second time: lyrics, third time: musicianship, fourth time: other tasty bits. After the first listen through, though, I've come to this exact conclusion. Its a good album, and I've had a good time listening to it-- plus after work I was in a rock mood-- but I'm not blown away by it.

[murlough23]

It's the addition of Andrew Osenga. That's why you like them again. Just trust me on this...

That's certainly part of it. However, his addition didn't help their floundering concerts much, and he only did 1/3, maybe less, of the songwriting, on Share the Well, and sang lead on one track (which is good, but one of my least favorites on the album), so I've gotta give credit where credit is due to Josh Moore and Randall Goodgame (both of which have written bland and/or annoying songs for the band in the past, go figure) for stepping up to the plate and turning out some uniformly solid songs this time out.

[Waltrane]

I've never cared for them live. I prefer to listen to them in their well-produced cd environment. I can accept the fact that they aren't a great live band and still like them.

[murlough23]

I've never cared for them live. I prefer to listen to them in their well-produced cd environment. I can accept the fact that they aren't a great live band and still like them.

The thing is, up until about 2001, I thought they were an awesome live band.

[murlough23]

Getting this thread back on topic... after 20-some-odd listens, I think I'm finally penetrating the wall of this album's mysterious story. "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" seems to be the pivotal song in helping me figure it out. I think that the album is about a turbulent relationship that cumlinated in an unplanned pregnancy, possibly out of wedlock. The "journey" is a process of mending the relationship and accepting the arrival of the child, and that would kind of explain the choice to frame the album as a children's audiobook.

Not that I can make every single song fit this theory... but it's the best thing I've come up with so far.

NP: "Cover Me", Mae

[murlough23]

Me again. I think I'm talking to myself in this thread.

Well, in an attempt to see if my guess at the meaning of The Everglow's story was correct, I've obtained the CD. Interesting/amusing drawings, but they don't seem to reveal much insight about what's going on. So, I went to theeverglow.com, a cleverly designed site that has its own "journey" consisting of little flash games and puzzles, which was fun until I got to "The Ocean", which is so impossibly difficult and frustrating that I gave up all hope of ever getting anywhere with it.

So The Everglow will have to remain a mystery for the time being.

NP: "This Is How a Heart Breaks", Rob Thomas

[plvarona]

So, I went to theeverglow.com, a cleverly designed site that has its own "journey" consisting of little flash games and puzzles, which was fun until I got to "The Ocean", which is so impossibly difficult and frustrating that I gave up all hope of ever getting anywhere with it.

No kidding.  I couldn't get past "The Ocean" either.  A few times I got within 1 book of advancing, although I never could pull it off.

[murlough23]

No kidding.  I couldn't get past "The Ocean" either.  A few times I got within 1 book of advancing, although I never could pull it off.

I noticed some discrepancy in the placement of the books, and sometimes the whale would be really sluggish in responding... I'm wondering if it's an issue with having an older Flash plugin.

[Waltrane]

It's impossible to get through the Ocean without DSL or Cable or something of that sort. Otherwise, it goes too slow. I tried it on dial-up and got nowhere. I later tried it on satellite and it was easy.  

[murlough23]

It's me, digging up this thread again for the hundredth time. I finally wrote up a review of this album.

http://www.epinions.com/content_188748697220

[ThePurplePerson]

Getting this thread back on topic... after 20-some-odd listens, I think I'm finally penetrating the wall of this album's mysterious story. "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" seems to be the pivotal song in helping me figure it out. I think that the album is about a turbulent relationship that cumlinated in an unplanned pregnancy, possibly out of wedlock. The "journey" is a process of mending the relationship and accepting the arrival of the child, and that would kind of explain the choice to frame the album as a children's audiobook.

Not that I can make every single song fit this theory... but it's the best thing I've come up with so far.

NP: "Cover Me", Mae

That's what I thought... "Suspension" could quitely easily be about a sexual encounter (I'm wanting this for sure and I beg for nothing more / I'll take what I can get if you want me here / say what you mean, as you whisper I want this etc. etc.) and "This is the Countdown" could be about the fallout afterwards (I think we've gone and lost the fire / should of known when I hit the ground running)... both are vauge, but it works.  And then "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" has a much more overt (at least in my mind) message.

Anyway, I'm bumping this thread because I listened to The Everglow straight though last night, and again while I was cleaning this morning... reminded me just how much I like the album.  David (or anyone else), did you ever check out Destination: Beautiful?  I'd really like some more Mae, but I'd like to hear someone else's take, first.

NP: "Disposition", Tool

[Brenden]

I listened to it and thought The Everglow was the better album, but Destination: Beautiful is still worth checking out.

[murlough23]

should of known when I hit the ground running

Should have. Your goof or theirs?

Regardless, your theories make sense, though I don't think the sexual encounter happens until later... the first few songs seem to be about the uncertainty of whether the couple should be/stay together. It is possible to read it as one man cheating on his wife... it depends on whether you take "Someone Else's Arms" to mean "I wanna wake up in the arms of someone other than the one I'm with now", or just "I'm tired of waking up alone".

I think it's the visitation in "The Ocean", and then the emotional "Breakdown" that follows the euphoric high they've experienced, that leads to the "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making".

David (or anyone else), did you ever check out Destination: Beautiful?  I'd really like some more Mae, but I'd like to hear someone else's take, first.

There are some interesting songs there, but I'm having a tough time getting into the album as a whole. Some of the tunes really drag (more so than my least favorite moments on The Everglow, which are the title track and "The Sin and the Moon", still decent songs), and the production pretty much sucks throughout. They improved by leaps and bounds on their second disc.

Though the old songs rocked live, particularly "All Deliberate Speed". It was funny watching the piano player during that song... he's a bald-headed Latino guy with a big smile and lots of energy, and when he didn't have a piano part to play during that song, he was doing these funny punching/karate gestures toward the rest of the band, as if to cheer them on.

[ajyouthguy]

i have a couple of youth who REALLY like Destination: Beautiful.  I like it, but not nearly as much as The Everglow.  Destination seemed to be a lot more raw and rough, which is not always a bad thing, but it lacked the punch, in my opinion, of The Everglow.

There is a song on Destination: B-sides (the 'tweener album) that may be my favorite Mae song, though...it's called Tisbury Lane, and includes this line that has been used in my youth group, both by me and some of my students, a lot, in reaching out to hurting friends..."Please don't give up when it's hard.  Don't you know that me and Jesus are cheering you on."