Genre(s): Post-hardcore, art rock, folk
Label: Pine Street
Released: November 22, 2024
About mewithoutYou
mewithoutYou are an anomaly among post-hardcore bands, largely due to the cult-like following they built over their two-decade career.
Formed in 2001, the band earned acclaim for a unique style combining intricate instrumentation and spoken-word vocals. The standout part of their sound was the spiritual introspection from singer Aaron Weiss’s experiences and eclectic religious upbringing — and how he could channel it.
Records like Catch for Us the Foxes and Brother, Sister become cornerstones among their peers, drawing in fans as eclectic as Hayley Williams and Frank Turner. Throughout seven albums, their sound evolved from hardcore-adjacent chaos ([A→B] Life) to experimental art rock ([Untitled]), sometimes touching folk or baroque pop (It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All a Dream! It’s Alright).
After an emotional (and COVID-delayed) farewell tour in 2022, the band disbanded, leaving a legacy of heartfelt artistry and unrivaled live performances. And yet, it was a matter of time before they reemerged with a testament to their past.
What’s presented on Live (vol. One) is the most mewithoutYou way to do so. Rather than simply releasing the stellar live stream audio from their final shows, they’ve crafted a triptych of albums from their last few years on tour. As a result, the band has crafted what feels like fresh sets from beyond the veil for new and long-time fans to enjoy.
DISCLAIMER: This review will inevitably spoil the band’s intention “to allow the songs to reveal themselves to listeners as they would in a live show setting.”
I agree that this is the most enjoyable way to experience the album and have hidden the actual song titles beside their “Song #x” counterpart to best preserve the intent.
TL;DR: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Why You Should Care
This first post-farewell set sets a high bar for the listener with its sound quality and song diversity. Michael Lane, mewithoutYou’s touring sound engineer, did a phenomenal job recording and mixing this project, with mastering duties covered by Grammy Award winner Hans DeKline (U2, Pixies, Touché Amore).
There is a clear dedication to ensuring that Aaron’s vocals, the band’s killer musicianship, and the crowd’s raucous energy coexist. Each layer is distinct, even in the opening pair of older, more hardcore-fueled tracks in “Song #1” (“Bullet to Binary”) and “Song #2” (“Nice and Blue”). After that throwback comes their more rock-oriented sound, starting with “Song #3” (“Paper-Hanger”) — both flexing Michael Weiss’ exceptional guitar work and the crowd’s eager participation throughout.
From there, the set transitions into “Song #4” (“2,459 Miles”) and “Song #5” (“Wendy & Betsy”) from their final record. The former hits harder than its studio version, with a satisfying crescendo in the third verse. Not to be outdone, the latter is another well-executed performance that ends with a classic Aaron Weiss philosophy break about love.
Songs from the band’s fifth record, Ten Stories, make up the bulk of this live album, starting with the trio of “Song #6” (“Grist for the Malady Mill”), “Song #7” (“Fox’s Dream of the Log Flume”), and “Song #8” (“Aubergine”). The first is an excellent example of how well mewithoutYou sounds like a polished studio product when playing live — a testament to the mixing and mastering. The second, one of the rare top-10 most played songs in this set, is another treat for listeners. Paramore’s Hayley Williams jumps on for guest vocals in the second half and owns the final quarter of the song. Finally, “Song #8” (“Aubergine”) wraps up the mini-suite with a melodic reprieve that just makes you want to catch your breath and sway along.
The next trio of tracks reflects the band’s evolution through their 21-year career. “Song #9” (“Nice and Blue (Pt. 2)”) is an excellent example of Aaron Weiss’ obsession with revisiting past lyrics and themes and reworking them into sequel songs. The lyrics “I was once the wine, and you were the wine glass” end up recontextualized within the same set, a perfect nod for long-time fans of the Neutral Milk Hotel-inspired songwriting device. “Song #10” (“Disaster Tourism”) and “Song #11” (“Tie Me Up! Untie Me!”) call back to the Catch For Us the Foxes-era with tighter, more memorable performances, showing how much the band matured without losing touch with their earlier roots.
With six songs left, the set begins to wind down with a masterclass in song choices and flow. “Song #12” (“Timothy Hay”) leads the pack and transitions seamlessly into the set highlight in “Song #13” (“O, Porcupine / Yellow Spider”). Here, the crowd feels like an extension of Aaron Weiss’ idiosyncrasies. The first half of a beloved song plays, pivots to an entirely different track, then reemerges with even more potent second half. You can hear how engaged the crowd is; it’s infectious. They were ready for the second half to kick in, making you (or at least me) want to mosh in the living room.
An acoustic rendition of “Song #14” (“Cardiff Giant”) serves as a pleasant reprieve that segues right into “Song #15” (“Allah, Allah, Allah”), which feels like a set-ending sing-along with the house lights on. Even with the fantastic performance preceding it, “Song #16” (“All Circles”) serves as a proper set “closer” that showcases more of the band’s ability to build up a satisfying intensity and final crash in their songs. It leaves the listener with the audience cheering and clapping for the band to “return to the stage” for an encore.
They do so with “Song #17” (“Four Fires”), which is by far the most obscure pick in the set. And yet, it’s a fantastic song to conclude this first live volume. The chorus is catchy, the instrumentals get groovy when the second verse kicks in, and the final third explodes into a surprisingly danceable jam. Then, like that, it ends in a very mewithoutYou way. The show is over; only the crowd’s cheers are left to play you out.
In Closing…
As a long-time fan, Live (vol. One) is a tremendous first impression for the mewithoutYou’s series of post-farewell releases. Everything from the production and song choices to vinyl packaging is an obvious labor of artistry. The band chose a fantastic blend of songs emphasizing the depth of their songwriting — an average song ranking of 34.55 — without being a straight-up greatest hits release.
If you’ve never gotten into the band before, there’s no better time than the present. I can’t wait to see how they build on this set with the following two volumes. Fingers crossed for a little bit of Pale Horses the next time around.
Listen + Purchase Live (vol. One)
Leave a Reply