4 out of 5

Label: Tooth and Nail Records

Produced by: Brian McTear, Daniel Smith

So last time we were together, Aaron Weiss had already begun his trek from Jawbox-rocker to lyrical oddball, his Biblical pastiches / high-school musings going further afield, and often with a fascination with including references to animals.  The record’s a good time, but it may have been held back by a need to “rock out,” when Weiss (and the group’s) identity was clearer leaning more toward heavy pop territory.

Well, the shackles on release #4 are pretty much fully loosened; maybe still hooked on the wrist, though, swinging about as Weiss’ wacky rambling gets even more jittery and lively and occasionally clipping those of us bopping about in the front row, adding a very physical daze to our already confused and bemused grins.  I mean, we get it; you get it; the now all-animals-all-the-time lyrical content and, like, continual mentions of gingerbread and candy, are all inspired by some religious text somewhere; mewithoutYou is no longer the grumble-grumble-Christian-band-but-they-ROCK group in your collection – they’re just intensely spiritual and happen to be on a Christian label (perhaps tellingly departing from the label hereafter) – but, for as weird catchy as this disc is, with its panoply of instruments and sounds (thanks, Danielson Dan Smith for the bright co-production), there are still those moments – especially the “sequel” song Bullet to Binary (pt. 2) – where it seems like mewithoutYou might be pining for punk days past, and it makes for an occasionally schizophrenic listen.

But its an experience that becomes smoother and more of a whole with each listen, once having digested its ups and downs and regurgitation – into indie rock – of early FM strumming and gospel cheer and…  I don’t know.  You can’t go from A -> B life to this album, but that’s not a bad thing.  The energy we all heard on that disc could be tossed off as a Dischord knock-off; the energy has continued to grow and evolve, but now there’s no mistaking whose sound this is.

I’m frightened to call it genius because I likely don’t understand everything that’s going on here, so lest I pass judgment in my ignorance… let’s just say that It’s All Crazy!  It’s All False!  It’s All A Dream!  It’s Alright is quite an experience.