"The Everglow" by Mae

Having to decide which classes to take next quarter can be a stressful thing. In such times, I tend to find other things to do. Cue the "Heroic Entry of the Blog" music!

This album was going to show up on this blog at some point. It was inevitable. "The Everglow" by Mae is one of my all time favorite albums by one of my favorite all time bands. Also, how freakin' cool is the album artwork? The answer is artsy, unique and awesome.

The album is a sold hour of absolutely wonderful music. The lyrics are not philosophical, for the most part, but they touching to be sure. And, they are delivered by a frontman that sings in such an earnest, down-on-his-luck-but-you-can't-help-but-love-him voice that they become infectious in a heartbeat. It's like Oliver Twist is singing to you. You can't help but want some more.

On a side note, however, "Say anything, but say what you mean," a lyric from my favorite song on the album and one of my favorite all time songs, was my senior quote.

The ultimate plus of this album is its melodic brilliance. Piano, electric guitar, bass, and percussion create intricate melodies that soar above all the lyrical work. Many times, the songs will start off softly before building to earth-shattering levels.

What I enjoy most about the music, however, is the instrumental sections that Mae's members conjure up. They can be up to a couple minutes, and they are sections of pure musical epic awesomeness. Those moments are what make the album what it is.

This album defined my junior year, and it's become an everlasting, everglowing (ahh, puns) part of my music library. Unfortunately, they are on a farewell tour, but their entire discography is safe and sound in my music selection.

My three favorite songs on the album are "We're So Far Away," "Suspension," and "The Sun and the Moon."

Here's a link to their Myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/mae

Until next time, enjoy the music!

Andrew