Mew - Visuals (April 28th, 2017) Album • Page 3

Really liking this new one. Only knock is it's a little too close to "Sometimes Life Isn't Easy" at points.

 

"Sometimes Life Isn't Easy" is one of my favorite Mew songs. I hear that a little bit; that rhythm reminds me of "Introducing Palace Players" too. Definitely has a NMS feel overall.

 

damn finally hearing this single i cant wait for the album this rules

 

Leaked

As expected, far more synth-heavy than +/-. It's fairly atmospheric and melodic, but I can't help but feel it lacks a certain intensity and focus within that style that a record like NMS had. On first listen, many tracks felt lost and meandering in a not-so-good way. Probably needs quite a few listens, though.

 

agreed.

 

Have to say "Learn Our Crystals" is pretty phenomenal. As a whole, I don't see this LP eclipsing any of their previous major-label efforts, though.

 

Good to hear heavy Mew again on some of these tracks like Candy Pieces.

 

Have to say I think Learn Our Crystals is one of the worst songs they've done. Glad to see others are enjoying it though.

Edit: I'm being a bit harsh. Really the only thing I don't like about that song is the ham-fisted rhyming couplet that ends in "key". Ruins the song for me. Other than that though, the song has merit.

 

Yeah, I haven't delved into the lyrics too much yet. They've always been so quirky with this band that almost nothing fazes me, though.

I do think the boundaries of cheesiness they're willing to cross have been pushed further some in their recent work, overall; "The Night Believer" is another prime example.

Anyway, I think "Candy" and "Crystals" are the highlights so far. Are they as good as highlights from previous records? Probably not. The opener also sounds super promising for the first minute or two, then devolves into the same straightforward pop found on a bunch of the other tracks.

 

"Don't let me go, old dinosaur." -Water Slides

'Nuff said.

Still love that song to death though.

 

I really enjoy this album, but I gotta say I do miss Bo's guitar playing. I didn't think I would notice his absence as much as I have, but he really added a cool prog element to the band vs. the kind of synth pop they're embracing more here.

It's all good though - the vocal melodies on this are still gorgeous and quintessentially Mew. This band always delivers.

 

I expected the guitars to take a backseat, and that wasn't going to bother me much in and of itself. But it seems like they also dumbed down the songwriting a bit, instrumentation aside. Synth pop is fine from this band when it's super psychedelic and alien and dream-poppy, like most of NMS. This record just isn't that, on most tracks. I'd assumed Jonas has been the dominant songwriter all along, but perhaps I underestimated Bo's importance there.

 

I love this band so much. This rules

 

Definitely dug it on first listen, I'm sure it'll open up more as time goes

 

Based on the reactions here and a few reviews I expected this to be my least favorite Mew record. But just a couple listens and I think this will be my favorite Mew record behind No More Stories and Glass Handed Kites. Bo's absence is felt, but my favorite part about Mew has always been the epic, surreal melodies and this album really delivers on that. "Candy Pieces" might be my favorite song the band has written since "The Zookeeper's Boy", but there wasn't one song that didn't captivate me here. I definitely like it more than +- already.

Literally my only complaint with this album is the ballads are both short and too close together. I almost wish they'd made them one song somehow.

 

Yea this was really immediate for me. Their most accessible sounding record thus far, I dig it.

 

One thing that's shocked me this week is how many fans have come out bagging on +/-. It was well received at release, but I guess it didn't hold up for some people. I still think it's great - not their best, but plenty worthy of their legacy. "Satellites," "Clinging to a Bad Dream," "Water Slides," "Rows"... all of those (and maybe more) are better than anything on this new one, IMO.

 

I haven't listened to the new one, but +- is the only one I really like

 

+- is great. I listened to it a lot recently in anticipation of this, and I was actually surprised at how well it held up for me. Especially the first half.

 

+- is great! I think it balanced both the progressive and melodic elements of the band well, it just didn't really excel in either one for me as a whole. Kites and No More Stories nailed both aspects which is why they're my personal favorite records Mew has put out. Frengers and Visuals are less progressive, but again, my favorite part about Mew is the melodies as opposed to the weird instrumentation and both are incredible in that regard.

 

+/- is my favorite Mew album. For now...

 

This is really really good

 

yeah I actually like this album a lot. not their best but still real solid.

 

still waiting on my vinyl!!!! i had to change my payment info from forever ago when i ordered so i think that caused a delay

 

Y'all bonkers this is great