Mute Math

Mute Math's self-titled album manages to expertly combine all the things I look for in music: originality, honesty, great vocals, insightful lyrics, energy. Oh, and they sound good. I have heard Mute Math described as "electro-alt rock", and that is perhaps the best way to simply describe their sound. The truth is that they sound unlike anything I've heard before. The album starts with the energetic, drum-driven, instrumental "Collapse" before moving smoothly into "Typical", which is the first in a long line of songs that combine catchy melodies with great guitar lines, subtle but well-crafted drumming, and extremely talented bass-playing; this is all enhanced by various electronic sounds and intruments. There is an amazing amount of energy on this album, so it easily maintains interest throughout a number of rather long songs. These great, dynamic rock moments are balanced by a number of mellower, more introspective songs, including "Stare at the Sun", "You Are Mine", and "Stall Out". "You Are Mine" is especially notable for its haunting musical qualities and remarkably honest, fresh lyrics. Speaking of lyrics, this album contains some of the best ones I've heard in quite a long time. A stark sense of honesty pervades the entire album, and they manage to be crafted subtly and artfully enough to be enjoyable to anyone. The reason for this accessibility is that the guys in Mute Math are writing about things that everyone has experienced or wants to experience; and they are writing about things that are larger than just the mundanities of everyday life. There is nothing more refreshing that that. If you are not yet convinced that Mute Math is amazing, then you can go listen to some of their songs either on MySpace or on purevolume. Or you can go buy the album on iTunes (who also throws in a free live EP). This is undoubtedly the best album I've heard this year. That's right, the best. There is not a bad song on this album, but here are some highlight tracks: "Typical", "Chaos", "Noticed", "You Are Mine".

Enjoy them! They are amazing!

Jill