InMe are a band that I have followed for a while. The fact that they are a 3 piece band from Essex and I've been watching their progress with interest since the release of Overgrown Eden. Rumours of breakup and all sorts of other such calamities followed InMe after their youthful debut made a storm amongst British teenagers who were at the time about the same age as the band. Overall, when InMe did release White Butterfly in 2005 I was immensely relieved.
It seems futile to compare two albums released several years apart, but inevitably I'll end up comparing White Butterfly and Overgrown Eden's various merits so I think it better if I do it all now. The first major change you'll hear in White Butterfly is Dave's voice. While in some ways, his starting voice was quirky and individual, it could also be highly annoying and it is obvious that several years of practice has payed off, leaving Dave a singing voice that can be both sensitive, but also with the ability to crack glass with sheer power.
All good so far then. Another thing the InMe fan will notice are the constant guitar effects have disappeared. While the constant use of phase and other 'spacey' effects were prominant in Overgrown Eden and again did become quite repetitive and boring, their complete absense is also not so good because InMe have instead opted for big loud arena guitars that frankly I could listen to on any old Jimmy Eat World album. A final change is the lyrics. I won't say too much on them, but quite frankly I believe the slightly odd and again more quirky stuff they had before was better.
So that's enough on a comparison of InMe's releases. And now onto White Butterfly. The album kicks off with a bang in 7 Weeks. The words big and anthemic will be thrown around a lot in the coming paragraphs and this song certainly sets the tone. With simple lyrics and a memorable riff the song is one that you could easily see thousands of rabid fans screaming back. Unfortunately it is also nothing I haven't heard a few million times. Still, it opens the album with a bang.
White Butterfly continues with the slightly more stately So You Know with an opening ripped almost entirely from something that U2 might come out with. However, as a song the chorus is pretty good and there are some interesting rhythms and it makes a good first single.
The album then moves fast and the next three standout tracks come consequetively: OtherSide, Faster the Chase and You'll Get There (the latter being my favourite from the album). These are again big and anthemic with loud choruss and with OtherSide some interesting uses of dissonance harking back to previous work like Crushed Like Fruit. Faster the Chase is a wonderful arena anthem with an almight chorus. You'll get there is a bit more understated, but it contains a powerful chorus and a really great little drum solo. Plus, the bass which was quite good in Overgrown Eden but now somewhat lacking returns with some nice fills in this song.
Unfortunately, this is the albums climax. You see, it is at this point that monotony sets in. Many of the songs are constructed in exactly the same way and many of the latter songs are frankly boring. Plus, the lyrics move from simple to frankly dire: "What is this world that we're living in? Why can't we just be friends?" comes to mind here. However, there are some very good highlights in the second half. Just a Glimpse is great as is Parting Gift.
A word on the production here too. InMe have gone very much for the layered guitar and radio anthem sound. This is unfortunate as being a 3 piece band they cannot even hope to reproduce this live and indeed they don't. All I'll say here is that the raw stripped down versions of their songs that they display live sound far better than the overproduced shining samples from their album.
Still, as a band InMe continue to impress me. White Butterfly is a good album with lots of potential for further improvement and Dave's voice is really rather good so three cheers for those Essex schmos and let's hope for a bright future.
