Review: Mew – No More Stories…

Before I begin, let me say that I’m one of Mew’s biggest fans. I have friends in Denmark that introduced me and my friends to their music when we visited in 2000. Soon after there second album Half The World Is Watching Me was released. So needless to say I’ve been anticipating every release since the first listen; maybe the newest one more than any other.

But the first listen…well….did nothing. This can be a good sign sometimes as I’ve found a lot of albums that take a lot of listens seem to have more to offer and become some of my favorites. But where others take hundreds, this one took thousands. They were definitely not trying to redo And The Glass Handed Kites. The first sign of that is the new record’s title which are the lyrics to the short but hauntingly sweet “Hawaii Dreams”:

No more stories
Are told today
I’m sorry
They washed away

No more stories
The world is grey
I’m tired
Let’s wash away

But the drumming is also different. More subdued. The lyrics seem more biographical and less abstract. The guitar is more an accompaniment than a driving force. Perhaps it’s in part because this is the first album without the original bassist. But I think it’s mostly a conscious effort.

There are moments of bursting rock like “Introducing Palace Prayers” and “Repeaterbeater”, but overall this album is very understated. There is a lot to explore in this record and it takes time. Where And The Glass Handed Kites runs into you head first, this album slowly walks up behind you and taps you on the shoulder.