By
MuteMath
“MuthMath”
Release date: In stores now
Paul Meany is being facetious as he continually belts out “I am just the typical” in the opening track of MuteMath’s self-titled album. That said, I can’t help but agree with him. Described as the “new maestros-in-waiting of electro-alt rock” by Alternative Press, it becomes apparent the band is doing more waiting than capitalizing on their perceived moment of opportunity.
The record has its flashes of brilliance, but most of the tracks blend into a hazy cacophony of looping samples and erratic synth lines. If the general goal of the album was to make all of the instruments sound alike, then MuteMath has succeeded brilliantly. Sadly, though, these types of albums don’t make for very interesting listening.
While production of the work is nearly flawless, its laidback rhythm, which remains a near constant throughout, leaves much to be desired in terms of emotive expression. At some points, it becomes near impossible to distinguish between tracks, and it is this type of ambiguity that points to the record’s blandness as a whole.
The record’s two opening tracks are some of the few bright spots in the entire production. These track ultimately serve as teasers, however, given that there is a sharp drop-off once the album progresses.
-Staff report
