mewithoutYou

I first started listening to mewithoutYou my senior year of high school. It was a period during which I would buy and listen to pretty much any album released by Tooth and Nail records. As a result, I have a lot of really crappy CDs (Does anybody want my copy of Hawk Nelson's Letters to the President? I've been trying to ditch that thing for two years now...)

mewithoutYou's three albums, though, are the highlight of that period.

Falling somewhere between modern Sufi music (lead singer Aaron Weiss's mother was a Sufi) and post-alternative-hardcore (a catch-all category for music that is beyond simple classification) with elements of Roma/Eastern European folk music, mwY is one of those bands that has a very distinct style, but avoids the trap of repeatedly making the same album.

The first album of theirs I bought was [A->B] Life, which is much closer to their hardcore roots. Their second LP, Catch for Us the Foxes might be my favorite (the videos posted below are both from Foxes), though Brother, Sister - their third release - is what got me through freshman year of college.

"January 1979"


"Disaster Tourism"


I was fortunate enough to see mwY in concert at the 40 Watt, but I've already written about that.

As far as musicians go, the guys from mewithoutYou are out there; Aaron Weiss has taken vows of poverty and chastity, and the bus is run off of used vegetable oil. But for all of their eccentricities, or perhaps because of, their music stands out in a world where rock is finally starting to become innovative again.

Rock on.

mewithoutYou In Concert

There are a few reasons I came to UGA. Not least among them is the Athens music scene. Home to great acts such as the B-52s and REM and rising acts like the local (and increasingly, national) hit Modern Skirts, Athens is among the most varied college towns in the world. It's a very simple equation: Students from all over = Music all over.

It may come to a shock to some that all of last semester, I didn't make one show at the famed 40 Watt Club. Well, tonight, I made up for that, and then some. The 40 Watt is a small club for one of such fame. As I walked up, I saw mwY's famed bio-diesel-powered tour bus with band members having their traditional dinner out in the parking lot. Once I got into the club itself, I noticed that the stage is only two feet higher than the rest of the club (which, given it's size, isn't much of a problem) and provides a very cool "I'm with the band" feeling.

The first act, Aloha, played a stunning thirty minute set. The drummer was amazing - his arms really were a blur. The keyboardist also played the xylophone - not very often seen in any form of rock. The bassist and vocalist, while nothing special, were still very enjoyable.

The second band, Sparta, was one that I had heard of, but not heard. That soon changed. Suffice it to say that their albums will be added to my wishlist. Soon.

The third and final group was the reason I went: mewithoutYou. I enjoyed their first album, [A->B] Life, drooled over their second album, Catch for Us the Foxes, and for the second time ever, went out to purchase their third record, Brother, Sister, on its release date. I have heard very good things about their live shows and was not let down. If anything, I was actually blown away. Vocalist (he really speaks and yells more than sings) Aaron Weiss is the most chaotic frontman I have ever seen. But he plays it off well and it fits in with the style of music (somewhere between "post-hardcore" and bipolar). They played most of their greatest hits and I found myself singing along with every song. Their lyrics are easy to relate to and very creative. Be sure to check out the link on my side bar under "Listen".

The best part is that Invisible Children (listed in the side bar under "Give") was at the show, getting shout outs from both Sparta and mwY as part of the new Natinonal Tour.

Now, having been on my feet sincwe 7:30, I'm off to bed.