Mae/The Everglow - A Review

Seldom does a record come along that re-ignights my passion for modern music. Just when I think I am getting burned out on the post modern, punk rock, emo, music scene, Mae releases the quintesential record. The Everglow. Not necessary Emo, but not Pop or Rock either, Mae falls somewhere in between the sub genres and manipulates their own sound. Their name actually stands for Multi-sensory Aesthetic Experience.
The Everglow is a journey. A journey of faith. And while the members of Mae are decidedly Christians, their music transcends the realm of Contemporary Christian Music and has landed them a following in the indie and club scenes. Lighter that The Julianna Theory, more substance than Sanctus Real.
This is one occasion that I have regretted buying music from the iTunes Music Store, because from what I understand the liner notes are just as beautiful as the music is. Having a storybook quality to them, they are reminiscent of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. Done in stunning watercolors, they lend a finishing touch to the whole experience of The Everglow.
But let's move on the music. The record opens with a strange intro with a female voice telling us to sit back, and relax. She explains to us to open up the booklet that accompanies the compact disk, and even gives us a little clue as when it's time to turn the page.
"We're So Far Away" is a passionate ballad that starts the project off perfectly. "Someone Else's Arms" follows, picking up the tempo and reintroducing the theme of the project. "Painless," "The Ocean," and "Breakdown" are the standouts of the next few tracks, until an appropriate climax is reached with the album's title track. Here, the album's lyrics are never more heartfelt, stating, "There's a neon light inside that shines/ and tearing down the walls in the way/ I think that we've got what it takes/ to get this heart start beating again/ So take it all the way." "The Sun and the Moon" is a splendid and chilling resolution to the story.
No matter what this music is doing, or where the lyrics are taking one's mind, the wonder of The Everglow remains that childlike magic that the songs inspire inside one's heart. . I don't know where this band came from, but I don't ever want to be without this amazing happy feeling ever again. If there were more modern rock that could evoke feelings like this, the world would be a much more reasonable place, and filled with much more love.
I know that this record came out almost one year ago but it is definitely still worth purchasing.