Mae - Multisensory Aesthetic Experience (November 30, 2018) Album • Page 3

Someone call the Hot Take Police.

 

Okay. I might have to do some album resequencing which I never do but this is definitely getting better.

 

I just realized this is Mae’s “Diorama.” I remember back in the day Jacob mentioned he’d like to do an album like that.

 

The Overview works so well as track 3. Really fond of most of this on first listen, and I'm glad I didn't wear out the songs released prior to this as everything is better in context.

 

This is an incredibly uneven album, but good on them for not being afraid to get weird with it.

 

Really, the (m)(a)(e) compilation just proved all bets were off as regards their next move - that was such a diverse collection of songs I'd hoped they'd get weird with the next proper album they did, and I'm glad that was the case.

 

I agree with you, but I also agree with @SmashRipsaw that the new album is uneven in a way that none of the EPs were

 

Listening now. Kaleidoscope is all right. 5 Light Years is my favorite of the first 4 songs.

 

No Promises is pretty good.

 

You Fall When You Hesitate, Our Love Is A Painted Picture, and A Race For Our Anatomy is actually a very solid and beautiful 3 song stretch. I appreciate this part of the album.

 

Simple Words is good as well. Kinda wish it went a little harder, since it seemed like it was going that way from the intro. This album has been a bit slower/mellower than I was hoping for but still solid.

 

Flow is a nice enough song. No complaints with it.

 

Overall first impression: I appreciate the experimentation! Much of it works, some of it doesn't, but overall they tried a bunch of new things and you have to give them credit for that. They could have played it safe on their first full length record in 11 years and didn't.

That being said, this is definitely gonna be a grower, and is mellower than I was hoping for. It could have used a couple more upbeat tracks imo. The second half of the album is stronger than the first half. Solid enough album with a couple early missteps. Only songs I'm not particularly big on are Sing and The Overview, neither of which really work for me.

 

For those saying it's uneven, I think it's going to make much more sense in the context of the experiential album. Jacob said that Sing is technically the opener and closer and that it's not meant to be linear and that Flow before Kaleidoscope will make sense. I'm going to reserve all judgment until I get the experiential album this week.

Also, does anyone else hear shades of Radiohead in the chorus for "No Promises?"

 

I haven’t listened to this band a ton, but I’m really enjoying this so far. Kaleidoscope immediately really grabbed me, love it as an opener.

 

The Overview has moved from 'wtf' to 'hmm' to 'this is a bop' in the space of a few weeks.

 

5 Light Years... HOLY FUCK this song is amazing. Wow.

 

5 Light Years and Let It Die are current favorites of mine. So good. Simple Words and No Promises are up there too!

 

After a half dozen listens over the weekend, this record feels like it’s their second best work after DB for me. I think it flows beautifully, and the one thing I really didn’t like from the pre-released songs (the verses of Overview) don’t really matter in the context of the whole album. I really, REALLY like the back half, and I love how Flow goes right into Kaleidoscope if you have it on repeat.

I’ve never not liked a MAE release, and they were my favorite band when I was in college 15 years ago, so I’m biased. But even still - I’m shocked at how much I genuinely love this record.

 

Flow is actually before Kaleidoscope in the experiential album. Jacob told me that Sing is actually both the opener and closer as the album is not linear. It’s more cyclical.

I agree with your take. The only song that feels out of place in the context of the album is OLIAPP. It fits very well thematically but doesn’t gel with the songs that precede or follow it. This is easily the band’s best songwriting. The more I listen to it the higher it climbs on my list of favorites. I really love the Radiohead-tinged “No Promises” and everything that follows. “Simple Words” is so damn catchy.

 

Okay, I don’t entirely revoke my original post, but this album has grown on me more than I thought it would.

 

Who is going to be on mae’s AMA on Reddit tonight?

 

What time is it?

 

8:00 EST tonight.