- Messes of Men
- The Dryness and the Rain
- Wolf Am I! (and Shadow)
- Yellow Spider
- A Glass Can Only Spill What It Contains
- Nice and Blue (Pt. Two)
- The Sun and the Moon
- Orange Spider
- C-Minor
- In a Market Dimly Lit
- O, Porcupine
- Brownish Spider
- In a Sweater Poorly Knit
Those who say Christian music doesn't offer anyone unique or interesting simply isn't looking hard enough. Plenty of examples exist depending on personal tastes, but mewithoutYou has to be one of the most uniquely challenging listens out there. It's a quality that works for and against them—especially on their third disc,
Coming a long way from the band's more hardcore rocking debut, the album maintains intensity without relying on volume. Though mewithoutYou is more than capable of rock (the pounding rhythm of "O, Porcupine"), they also embrace mellower instrumentation—acoustic guitars, melodica, harp—to diversify their sound. The glorious sonic stew of "In a Sweater Poorly Knit" is a finale that would have done John Lennon's experimental sensibilities proud.
However, mewithoutYou is also an acquired taste, falling somewhere between the eccentric styles of Danielson and Wovenhand. Aaron Weiss half-shouts his lines like some bizarre underground poetry reading, occasionally singing with an unrefined, hillbilly quality reminiscent of Ben Folds. The lyrics come in a stream-of-consciousness barrage, often without a hook to hang them on—sometimes deeply provocative, sometimes like the ramblings of a madman.
But rare is the band this cryptic, yet so clear-cut in their Christian expression. Interpreting the artwork properly, the album's true title is
Stimulating, yes. But enjoyable? Depends on what you're accustomed to. The band seems destined to remain a cult favorite due to their unusual style—uniqueness itself doesn't necessarily lead to greatness. Yet mewithoutYou also remains endlessly intriguing on many levels, especially to those looking for something truly different. Consider yourself warned and informed.