I find myself feeling like an observer during a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde play. The reason being, I am reviewing the CD of a band that recently wowed me during their April 20th concert at Richard’s on Richards. I anticipated Mute Math’s self titled debut CD to be a raucous, keenly produced, wall of frenetic sound.
I definitely received a keenly produced, wall of sound (not a frenetic note to be heard) that was self produced with guidance from Tedd T. However, Mute Math’s energetic and animated Dr. Jekyll performance, had been replaced by a melodic, attention-to-detail, layered upon electronic layer, luscious Mr. Hyde.
This is not a complaint. It is an observation and I almost wish I hadn’t seen the band live as my expectations were completely misguided. If I had been expecting a U2 meets Coldplay meets The Police type of sound, then I would have been prepared.
After my initial consternation, I settled into the sound of Mute Math. The New Orleans band (consisting of: Paul Meany, Darren King, Greg Hill, and Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas) brings an explosion of atmospheric riffs. Paul Meany created Mute Math in 2003 after leaving the ‘Christian’ pigeonholing of his former band Earthsuit. Not that Paul is no longer Christian; he was tired of his faith being one of the main adjectives describing his music.
If you prefer the jauntier, livelier version of Mute Math, stick with their 2004 Reset Ep (9/10). If you want to evolve and mature alongside Mute Math, then their self titled CD is the one for you. 8.5/10
image: purevolume.com