Mew Brings Back Indie Stadium Rock on ‘+ -‘

Stephanie Hernandez

Four-piece Danish band Mew, have been making some of the most inspired progressive rock since their debut “A Triumph For Man” back in 1997. Their follow up records “Half The World is Watching me” and most recently 2009’s exhaustively titled “No More Stories Are Told Today, I’m Sorry They Washed Away // No More Stories, The World Is Grey, I’m Tired, Let’s Wash Away” have gained the group an almost cult like following. Their mix of lush arrangements, delicate vocals and visual lyrics has served Mew well and they have continued with that winning combination on their latest release “+ – .”

Mew’s first album in six years, “+ – ‘s“ chilled out progressive pop will be music to fan’s ears. The album opens with the melodic track “Satellites,” reminding listeners of the ethereal quality of frontman Jonas Bjerre’s voice. He alternates between gentle, whispered vocals and more powerful falsetto, a la Thomas Mars of Phoenix, drawing you in deeper as the song goes on. Opting for delicate delivery over Mew’s guitar heavy instrumentation is a contrast that the group is well aware of and works in their favor. It stops their music from becoming too shoegaze and instead provides just the right amount of airiness to prevent the tracks from feeling too dense or bogged down.

The rest of the album follows suit, going from the dreamy fluidity of “Satellites” to the more straightforward “Witness” and “The Night Believer.” Their music is not for those who desire instant gratification. American audiences may find the record difficult at first listen, there are no insanely catchy hooks or easily sung lines, the tracks are layered and drawn out (in a good way, be patient). You have to sit with the music for a while, let it grow, before you can truly understand these Danes. Kimbra joins the boys on the third track, “Night Believer” aiding in the creation of a pop filled lush sonic landscape that will draw listeners deeper into the album. The record’s grooves balance out the group’s love of rigid time signatures to make the music more accessible. Mew does make a foray into more pop and R&B styled sounds, with the fourth track “Making Friends” providing a smooth funk and beat heavy moment fans can dance to.

The grand production fans of Mew love, is continued on “Clinging to a Bad Dream,” midway through the record and filled with spacious echoes this stadium anthem is classic Mew. Followed by a cameo by Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack, “My Complications” jars you out of the world of melodic alternative rock and into the realm of more 90‘s stylized pop, a welcomed uplifting moment on the album. Kimbra makes her second appearance on “Water Slides,” providing the perfect vocal harmony to Bjerre’s delicate whisper, one of the truly more beautiful moments on the record. “Interview the Girls” follows, its cheery lyrics and sunny bass line gives the second half of the album just the right amount of levity before the boys wind down. The ninth track, “Rows” swells for a full eleven minutes, before transitioning into the album’s final song, “Cross the River on Your Own.” Showing us lyrical vulnerability here, Bjerre’s voice changes to match, becoming tenderer as it floats over a light choral synth that gingerly closes the record.

Mew is truly a different breed. Drawing from influences like Radiohead, Pixies and Pink Floyd, the creativity exuded by these boys creates rich, textured pop that sounds like nothing else on the market today. With the release of “+ – “ Mew has proven that a hiatus does not mean the end for a band. They have created expansive, almost otherworldly pop full of melodic instrumentation and robust visual imagery. Not afraid to try new things, as made apparent by their collaborations on this record, Mew have easily won themselves a new set of fans upon this record’s release. We are sure “+ – ” will be more than enough to satisfy those fans who’ve waited more than a half decade for it.

“+ – ” will be available on iTunes April 28.