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| mewithoutYou - [A-->B] Life | mewithoutYou - [A-->B] Life
Record Label: Tooth & Nail
Release Date: June 18th, 2002
mewithoutYou have come a long way since debut album [A-->B] Life, but it is always enjoyable to look back at the old times and listen to what used to be. For a debut album, mewithoutYou couldn’t have hit the nail on the head any harder. Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, mewithoutYou began as a side project to The Operation, but they soon realised their potential and became the full time focus of the Weiss brothers. Prior to the release of [A-->B] Life, 2 EP’s were issued. The highly mysterious Blood Enough For Us All and favoured 2nd release I Never Said That I Was Brave.
However, those releases don’t compare to [A-->B] Life, which could be considered a post-hardcore classic, filled with poetic lyrics, harsh shouted vocals, which Aaron eventually became known for, melodies and experimentation.
The lyrics on this album are unique, compared to later albums, featuring more about Aaron’s personal life, emotions, and depression, whereas later albums focus a lot on God and religion in general.
Opener "Bullet to Binary" begins with Weiss exclaiming “Let us die! Let us die! And dying, we reply, don’t you tell us about your suffering, Look in our eyes, look in our eyes." Its hard to think that this song is written about anything other than a past relationship where the girl has moved on, but you haven’t, with lines such as “And when you say you love him, taste me. I'm like poison on your tongue”
As the album gets deeper in, the lyrics become even more poetic, each song getting better than the last. Fan favourite "I Never Said I Was Brave" opens with a reference to The Smiths “You might sleep, but you'll never dream,” and seems to be a song about hurting someone and seeking forgiveness: “If you'd give me another chance, if you'd forget the pain I caused before.”
None of these songs, however, compare to Aarons most personal song and possibly the best mewithoutYou song ever written, "Silencer." Lyrically and instrumentally, it all fits in together perfectly, to form a beautiful and passionate song. Analysing the lyrics, it seems to be written about a dying friend/loved one and their journey to God after death: “Cause I'm faint and fading fast, I see a darkness. And I shall be released. I'll pass like a fever from this body, and softly slip into his hands,” the word Hands possibly meaning the hands of God.
Overall, you couldn’t ask for more from this album, its everything that makes music great, passion, well crafted lyrics, experimental instrumentation, and most of all, the fact that it all moulds together to make something truly beautiful. Although this album is quite unlike later releases, that’s what makes it so great. It’s raw and passionate, and its mewithoutYou at their best.
Check out mewithoutYou on Myspace. |
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Displaying posts 1 - 8 of 8. |
07:42 PM on 05/28/09 | i agree with the significance and focus on lyrics, but you did nothing to mention any of the instrumentation! the music is much more raw on that record compared to others, the guitar tones and drums are hard to compare to.... | | |
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09:12 PM on 05/28/09 | Don't cry because it's over Love, love, love this album. So freaking good. | | |
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12:32 AM on 05/29/09 | so weird to listen to this again after hearing the new album. they've mellowed out so much over the years, but the outstanding songwriting and lyrics have always remained a constant. i love these guys so much.
random fun fact: their old bass player Dan was my grandmom's paper boy when she used to live in East Norriton, PA. she's actually still good friends with his mom. small world, eh? | | |
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02:11 AM on 05/29/09 | Great album. My favourite track is 'The Cure for Pain'. | | |
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05:30 AM on 05/29/09 | my god, does noone love you? Naice review  for an elitist.
No, goood good.
Love the album too. | | |
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10:17 PM on 06/16/09 | I was listening to this right after It's All Crazy...
The difference is night and day (of course) but it's unbelievable how the band thrives in 2 different styles. | | |
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11:44 PM on 08/03/09 | the difference between the band now and then almost seems unimaginable. soso different. but every single album is wonderful. as for this one i love silencer so much. "dont waste your lips on words i've heard before" it is so simple but great. and this album is crazy raw. i love it!!!!! | | |
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