openswitch

Review: Lately I’ve been on a CD purchasing binge and MAE’s newest album, The Everglow, is my most recent acquisition. MAE is an acronym for “multisensory aesthetic experience” because one of the band’s goals is to create an experience for the listener that utilizes more than just their ears but their other senses as well. Or, at least to create music such that the listener can imagine what it would look or taste like.

When I first heard of them from Adam he didn’t tell me they were a Christian band. Not that it would have mattered because I loved them anyway. Later on, after I found out they were Christian, I really started to admire them and their music. It’s rare that a Christian band does anything remotely original or interesting; thankfully, MAE is both.

I came across this person making a joke that many Christian artists seem to be running the same computer program to come up with their lyrics. A piece of that program would look something like this:

The [violent weather metaphor] crashes to the [Psalmy landscape metaphor]
Sometimes I wish I could [Biblical miracle metaphor]
Just like [Biblical patriarch name]
But I can?t because I?m only a [man / woman / sinner]

Chorus:
[Praying / crying / calling out] for [sunshine / silver lining image]
I want to see the [positive weather metaphor]
I want to see beyond the [negative weather metaphor]
[First line of chorus] + [song title]

You may not think that’s funny, especially if you’re in a Christian band! But keep in mind that Casting Crowns (Chris, I’m talking to you) is obviously more gifted than most other Christian artists and assuredly doesn’t use this program. Neither does MAE.

The Everglow is an excellent, excellent album that somewhat borders on over-production but still comes out on top with great music and superbly thought provoking lyrics. MAE is alternative-sounding Christian music that breaks out of the rutt CCM has gotten itself into and deserves to be in anyone’s music collection, Christian or otherwise.