Artist: Mae

Album: Destination: B-Sides

Label: Tooth and Nail Records

Tracks: 10

Length: 56:17

               Reviewed By: Justin Brinker

 

I stumbled on Mae a couple of years ago mostly by accident. I hadn’t heard anything by them and just on a whim bought “Destination: Beautiful” via a recommendation from a friend and I was very glad that I did.  There was something missing though, and there still is every time I listen to that record.  I think they are great purveyors of slickly produce pop rock gems much like Jimmy Eat World, but for some reason I never really connected emotionally with “Destination: Beautiful.”  I can’t believe its already been almost two years since we last heard from the band furthermore I can’t believe they are already releasing a B-sides album.  It is not very often a band with just one release under its belt is releasing a B-sides collection, not the case with Mae. 

 

“Destination: B-Sides” is more of a remix album than an actual B-sides album considering over half of the tracks are reconstructions of previously released material. For instance, “This Is The Last Time” previously heard on “Destination: Beautiful” is on here twice, remixed with a more electronic/keyboard driven sound and then done live as well.   This is also the case for “Sun” which has an acoustic version and also a live version that opens with a beautiful piano introduction and clocks in at over seven minutes. The acoustic version of “Giving It Away” fueled mostly by the piano and some string effects here and there is much better than the album version. 

 

The newer material or B-sides, if you prefer, make up four of the ten total songs on “Destination: B-Sides.” “Suspension” is typical Mae with all of their elements intact: catchy choruses, keyboard effects, slick production, and works fairly well.  “Tisbury Lane”, has been available for download for some time now, is more laid back with just a clean picking guitar part and the vocals of David Elkins until mid-song then the drums appear.  “Awakening” another piano driven song is really arresting and is at the forefront of the newer material.  “Futuro” is an instrumental track done live and is not good but it is not bad either, it just feels more like filler.

 

 

The weaknesses to “Destination: B-Sides” are obvious. Two songs appear twice, albeit done differently, but still it is too much of the same thing. Most of the material found on this album has been heard before. The instrumental could have been left off, while the remix of “Goodbye, Goodnight” is not much different than the version found on “Destination: Beautiful.”  This should have been released as an E.P.  I will say that the newer songs make me want to check out the new album slated to be released in March, they possess something that was lacking in a lot of “Destination: Beautiful.”  If you are a fan of Mae this will probably hold you over until the release of their new record, if you are just discovering the band start with “Destination: Beautiful.”