MEW “Visuals” CD cover art 2017
With their new album Visuals, Mew delivers to their fans (both old and new) the perfect soundtrack for the upcoming summer. It is their seventh album in a twenty year career by the Scandinavian alt-prog rockers and their first since the departure of founding member guitarist Bo Madsen.
Visuals presents Mew in their purest state, the band produced the record, crafted the artwork and designed the stage lighting for their upcoming tour.
Album opener “Nothingness and No Regrets” begins things off quietly with lush vocals floating above keyboard pads and acoustic guitars. The quiet before the squall – as the drums and bass erupt like a thunderstorm, propelling the song into a massive, festival sized, crowd sing-along anthem.
“The Wake Of Your Life” rumbles to life with drum rolls that would make any 70’s prog rock band proud before subversively breaking into sunshine drenched pop. It’s the perfect soundtrack for a convertible ride in summer. Top down, singing along with your friends to the big radio ready chorus: “Ooh they don’t know / They don’t know / What fools are we / An elixir of light / You’re reciting the words”.
And suddenly you comprehend that in the sugar spinning, cotton candy machine world that is Mew, there is so much more going on than you realized on first impression.
Vocals float across the soundstage buoyed up by perfect harmonies. Guitars shimmer and keyboards grind, adding just the right amount of color and texture. The drums enter and exit at the perfect moments to propel the songs forward or reel them back in, providing contrast and shadow.
MEW photo: Sasha Ryabina
The album cover features a striking image of a Mexican Day of The Dead sugar skull super- imposed over lead vocalist Jonas Bjerre’s face. It’s a perfect visual image for their music. But underneath the sugar there is a constant hint of melancholy that has Mew striking just the right balance of sweet to sour.
Listening to Visuals I was struck by the finely crafted arrangements. This is music that was made to be listened to on headphones, but also music that translates to a blasting car stereo. Mew has concocted a mature album of pure pop that would surely bring a smile to Brian Wilson’s face.
Enjoy the ride.
Release Date April 28, 2017
PIAS (Play It Again Sam)