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Review Summary: Truly the fairest of them all. I've struggled with the concept of an album review as a legitimate source of information. To me, music has always been a subjective thing, and what many consider “quality” has more to do with one's individual tastes than the actual music. There have been several albums that I loved upon first listen, then faded, and some that I was unable to entwine myself in that later ended up my personal favourites. What can actually be called “quality”, for example, sometimes has no bearing whatsoever on the timelessness of an album. Consider every black metal or emo release ever, for example; where terrible mixing and abysmal recording quality somehow fall away in the presence of brutal or intricately beautiful riffs. Consider Nirvana, who (in my opinion) had neither chops nor particular writing talent, and yet managed to release three timeless, brilliant albums. I have come to believe, therefore, that an album review should provide less critique and more direction; regardless of how good an album is objectively, it really comes down to what the individual wants to hear.
I have also come to believe that Maybeshewill's new album is the direction that every man, woman, and child should travel in.
I Was Here For A Moment, Then I Was Gone, Maybeshewill's third album, was an evolution from the band's previous work. While many fans were alienated by the new, prettier direction, others embraced the new focus on texture and beauty. Maybeshewill seem to have embraced this as well, working hard to synthesize the sounds of their past and their present into one coherent, immersive experience. Fair Youth, like Here For A Moment, is very much a step forward, but it acknowledges—without necessarily utilizing—previous albums and the elements that made them successful.
“...”, Fair Youth's minute-long opener, provides electronic texture that enraptures and immerses. While Maybeshewill has always, to a certain extent, been an “electronic” band, their 2011 album saw a focus more on “natural” instrumentation, preferring piano, strings, and delay-soaked guitars over the synths, keyboards, and 65daysofstatic-influenced off-beat drums of their earlier albums. The band's passion, while once released through politically-charged samples and furious power chords, now comes across less like that of a slam poet and more like that of a nature photographer or a watercolour painter. “In Amber”, the first single and the first true song on the album, shows not just a symbiosis but a synthesis of colour and sound; the guitars are subtle and texture-focused here, letting the electronics (which are live rather than sampled, as they were on the band's earlier albums) dance above them. It still hits hard, but it's a slow, subtle punch rather than a swift kick. Another noticeable element is the band's use of horns on many of the songs. While not necessarily melodic juggernauts, these horn sections do certainly contribute to the textures.
The entire album is a progression, not only within itself but within each song. “Sanctuary”, for example, starts off almost like a Beach Boys-influenced Muse b-side (“Can't Take My Eyes Off You” immediately danced its way into my mind) but soon, a new, guitar-driven melody jumps in, only to be replaced by a vocoder-drenched “bridge”. Fair Youth never stands still. It teeters over cliffs, dangles over edges, leaps across ravines, and soars (oh, how it soars!).
Whether or not you liked Maybeshewill's first two offerings is more or less irrelevant; this album is not geared towards fans who listen only for the samples. This is for those who want to be immersed in sound, in a sonic landscape of beauty and passion and art. This album is an experience, even more so than Here For A Moment, and it is one that will stay on repeat for a very long time.
Key Tracks: “In Amber”, “Fair Youth”, “Waking Life”
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"To me, music has always been a subjective thing, and what many consider “quality” has more to do with one's individual tastes than the actual music."
No shit, lol.
Honestly, I would delete that entire first paragraph. You don't really follow up on it during your review... It's like you're using the review as an excuse to vent about your general thought on interpreting music
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This isn't a bad review, but there are some things I feel are worth addressing (as well as constructive criticism):
I've struggled with the concept of an album review as a legitimate source of information. To me, music has always been a subjective thing, and what many consider “quality” has more to do with one's individual tastes than the actual music.
Do people look to album reviews as sources of legitimate information? Sometimes information is presented, sure, but the meat of a well-written review should be founded on the individual writer's beliefs on the matter. If you're looking for objectivity, you've come to the wrong place.
regardless of how good an album is objectively, it really comes down to what the individual wants to hear.
I get the sentiment here, and yet I do find it a little problematic. There are some things about some albums that could be considered objectively bad, and what's a reviewer really doing if they don't at least acknowledge those traits? Are we supposed to turn a blind eye to what an album doesn't do well? I'd argue not, though I do believe our reaction to an album is truly the important thing in reviewing.
I have also come to believe that Maybeshewill's new album is the direction that every man, woman, and child should travel in.
Once again, I get what you mean but this wording is pretty awkward. Maybe you could say that the evolution of Maybeshewill seems to resemble the growth of the band's followers over time, something along those lines?
The band's passion, while once released through politically-charged samples and furious power chords, now comes across less like that of a slam poet and more like that of a nature photographer or a watercolour painter.
Now this is a killer sentence.
The entire album is a progression, not only within itself but within each song.
I like this point that you made. I think my issue with the closing few paragraphs of this review is that you make substantial points like these, and then don't really back them as much as you could. I'm certainly not saying I'm an expert at backing up points either, but I at least notice that your review could afford a bit more substance to support these crucial arguments.
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Whether or not you liked Maybeshewill's first two offerings is more or less irrelevant; this album is not geared towards fans who listen only for the samples.
This could very well be directed at my piece. Which is perfectly fine, but how are the band's first two albums irrelevant? It makes sense to compare them to this one, and if I'm wrong there then I fail to see why that's the case from your review. I don't think anyone in particular listens to the earlier music from this band just because of the samples, so I'm a bit confused as to why you mention this. Other bands (like Mouth of the Architect in particular, I believe) have used the same vocal sample that was found in "Not For Want Of Trying", so such a concept is by no means exclusive to Maybeshewill.
Overall, I can appreciate your love for this album but it's hard to place much stock in a review that focuses on shielding said album from criticism over all else. Especially if it's a 5 to you- it seems to me those things perhaps shouldn't matter to you that much if you really do find so much enjoyment from this record, yes?
I felt a need to respond to certain components of this review since it seems to maybe have been written as a counter to mine, but that doesn't mean I inherently dislike it. On the contrary, I'd love to see a review on this that explains what can be so compelling about the album- maybe it could help me to understand the record a little bit more. I know I sure was bummed to find I didn't dig this album too much, considering how long I've been stoked for it.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Jacob's beat me to it, but you'd do well to take his advice, he's given you lots of good stuff there.
I'll just add that generally the whole first paragraph is a little bizarre, everything in music is subjective, but to hint that critiquing has no place in a review is strange.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
@Omaha your review did prompt me to write one of my own, albeit more as a demand for a different
perspective than a "counter" per se; i feel that this album deserves a review of pure praise. that being
said, my intent was for the first paragraph to reflect and acknowledge my feeling that this album may
not, after all, be a 5. i'll definitely put a bit more work into the review, specifically on
incorporating the first paragraph into the rest of it (i'd been sitting on that idea for a while and
wasn't quite sure what to do with it; evidently it showed). those are some dynamite bits of advice, for
sure, and it shouldn't be too hard to work them into the review.
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Hey man, I appreciate you being so approachable about my advice. I can tell you're a good writer, and I have no doubts you've got some great reviews in you. There are things about most of my reviews I could've done differently, but you just have to learn and move on, I find.
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*slow clap*
wow, civility on the internet
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Fantastic review, haven't listened to this yet but was hoping for a review like this, since despite what everyone else is saying I couldn't help but feel I might really enjoy this, based on descriptions of the actual music and the one track I've heard. Might get around to it later today!
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Saw these guys open for Dillinger Escape Plan, they were decent, but far from a five 
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
definitely an underrated release
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