Review Summary: Catchy, meaningful, and slightly quirky in just the right way.
Let's face it: It's sickening how many bands there are out there trying to make their mediocre music be heard among the masses. Finally, we get a fresh breath of air with the debut album, Broadcast, from this Denver-based gem of a band by the name of Meese. Not only do they clearly stand out and rise above the indie scene, but this album gives you a feeling that these guys don't even give a hoot about what's going on with their peers. They're just here to do their own thing, and that will have you grinning from ear to ear.
This album tackles so many tempos, styles, and general sounds, yet the whole time there is no question that all of these songs are played by the same band. "Forward Motion" revs up the album with a bouncy start, then shifts gears for "Count Me Out," a song offering an incredibly fun melody to sing along with. This first transition from one song to the next sets an example for the whole album. Each song sounds so simply different from the last, but it's not as if Meese has a country style and then switches to rap. They are just phenomenally talented at crafting pop/indie songs that are unique, catchy, and meaningful all the way through.
Things slow down for "Taking the World On," an excellently presented ballad. And then a couple tracks later, Meese whips out the dance floor for "Next In Line." (Warning: this entire song will refuse to leave your head for at least 24 hours after you hear it just one time.) Now, many albums tend to taper off as they reach their final tracks. But Broadcast holds my attention till the end every time. In fact a couple of the final tracks are my personal favorites. "The Quiet Side" ventures into darker lyrics about the not-so-pleasant side of human nature, but you would never guess that by hearing the music and the melodies without the words. It sounds inconsistent, but it works out splendidly. "Movie Screens" is a beautiful reflection on memories of growing up, and is a wonderful set up for the finale.
Meese wraps things up with "Margot," an interesting song written about fatherhood, and a perfect way to end the album. There's not a track that I don't love on this album. I recommend it to anyone and everyone. I hope to see Meese stick around for awhile, because they don't just try to be different. Different is what they are.
