http://stkarnick.com/culture/2009/11/17/review-mute-math-is-adventurous-liberating/ News, reviews, and analysis, edited by S. T. Karnick Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:50:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://stkarnick.com/culture/2009/11/17/review-mute-math-is-adventurous-liberating/comment-page-1/#comment-5269 S. T. Karnick Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:05:12 +0000 http://stkarnick.com/culture/2009/11/17/review-mute-math-is-adventurous-liberating/#comment-5269 Robert, I think it's interesting, but not surprising, that music reviewers would be disappointed to find that a band they like turned out to be Christian. After all, Christians are uniformly weird, according the culture at large. I listened to Mute Math's latest, <i>Armistice,</i> and found it to be pretty intelligent stuff. They have a good flair for melody. Their sound is indeed difficult to pin down, though it's basically in the alternative-rock mode with very light touches of progginess in the vein of Porcupine Tree. They're much more energetic and accessible than PT, however. The violins in the bridge on "Clipping" exemplify the band's laudable willingness to venture outside of comfortable rockist territory. It seems that "world" rhythms are an important element of their sound, as is the use of keyboards as a prominent textural element. And do I detect a certain '90s echo-iness in the arrangements, reminiscent of Collective Soul? Singer Paul Meany can definitely belt it out without sounding hysterical or annoyingly shrill. All in all, the band presents a nice mix of things that coheres as a distinctive and appealing sound. Robert, I think it’s interesting, but not surprising, that music reviewers would be disappointed to find that a band they like turned out to be Christian. After all, Christians are uniformly weird, according the culture at large.
I listened to Mute Math’s latest, Armistice, and found it to be pretty intelligent stuff. They have a good flair for melody.
Their sound is indeed difficult to pin down, though it’s basically in the alternative-rock mode with very light touches of progginess in the vein of Porcupine Tree. They’re much more energetic and accessible than PT, however. The violins in the bridge on “Clipping” exemplify the band’s laudable willingness to venture outside of comfortable rockist territory. It seems that “world” rhythms are an important element of their sound, as is the use of keyboards as a prominent textural element. And do I detect a certain ’90s echo-iness in the arrangements, reminiscent of Collective Soul?
Singer Paul Meany can definitely belt it out without sounding hysterical or annoyingly shrill. All in all, the band presents a nice mix of things that coheres as a distinctive and appealing sound.

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