REVIEW: Menomena - Mines

Menomena - Mines
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Menomena is a unique band for multiple reasons, but what’s yielded a fair amount of press over their past few albums has been the band’s use of a particular piece of computer equipment. Instead of simply sitting down in a room with their instruments to work out songs, Menomena uses a computer program called the Digital Looping Recorder, or Deeler, programmed by band member Brent Knopf while he was in college. Deeler uses Max, a visual programming language for music and multimedia. For their new album, Mines, the band continued this creative trend, jamming and recording hundreds of ideas with Deeler that were later arranged to form songs.

Programming, or simply computer language in general, is rather analytical – the sort of thing that originates in the right side of the brain. The polar opposite, of course, is the creative, left side of the brain. And while Deeler seems rather analytical – mathematical even – it never hinders Menomena’s creative output. In fact, Deeler is more like the band’s color palette, providing them an opportunity to imagine possibilities they might otherwise miss, amplifying the creative power of that left side of the brain. It’s this mathematical approach that results in songs such as “TAOS” and “Tithe” that take advantage of open space, adding small but important details, such as that of a quick guitar string bend or an introductory symphony of thumb pianos.

Menomena channel their experimental urges just enough to spark inspiration. Between the members’ instrument swapping and puzzle-piece creative process, it’s worth noting how well the band manages to streamline their ideas into songs that are both accessible and expansive, with roots planted firmly in their vast sonic outlook. When you consider how much time (roughly three years) went into writing and recording the album – let alone how much each member tweaked and edited one another's ideas – it’s amazing how smooth and cohesive Mines turned out.

“TAOS” has a progressive spirit, and, with its gripping string passages, brass, ‘70s-style electric guitar, air drum-worthy drumming, and grand arrangement, is easily one of the best songs of the year. “Five Little Rooms,” with its adventurous piano, multi-layered percussion, heavy bass synth, dark lyrical content, and chilling mood, is an atmospheric, spacey tune that’s the sonic equivalent of stars shooting across the dark night sky, coloring it full of dazzling light. It makes you wonder if stars are musical notes and if Menomena somehow composed a song out of them. The slide guitar of "BOTE" creates an alluring tension that strengthens the song's overall resolve. The piano-driven “INTIL” is a rare beauty, soft-spoken heartache that grows confidently into an active, pleasant array of various percussion, piano, and vocals. Honestly, there's something complimentary to write about every track on the album, and the fact that I can do that should tell you something about the strength of the album and its overall success.

Mines sounds as though Menomena pushed themselves creatively, but it never sounds as though the band ever stepped too far over the edge. Despite its wholly ambitious character, the album is rather nuanced while maintaining its dynamic edge. It's a perfect balance between pop sensibilities and musical prowess, filled with songs that hold interest well and flow together rather seamlessly. For however much the three men of Menomena pieced together and broke apart the music and ideas that form Mines, the end result is just that much more cohesive and intriguing. What it all amounts to is an album that is bold, deep, and massively enjoyable. It’s powerful but subdued; vast but personal. In the end, Mines is only a few ticks and tweaks away from being something eternally memorable, and classic in its own right.

BUY: Mines is out now on Barsuk. You can pick it up on Amazon, Amazon MP3 ($5!), iTunes, or directly from Barsuk here.