Album title:
Brother Sister
Artist:
mewithoutYou
Label:
Strange Addiction
Christian Rock - a genre that's doomed from the start, given that the twin concepts involved sit together about as cosily as Songs of Praise and Jerry Springer: The Opera. Furthermore, any rock band that proclaims a faith is usually deemed 'preachy', or just morphs into some hideous paradoxical pastiche of death metal. So ignore everything I've just said and judge mewithoutYou for what they are – a very good band, despite the God-fearing name and biblical lyrics. Their fourth LP Brother Sister easily sits at the forefront of American progressive rock. Wolf Am I! (And Shadow) stalks menacingly like one of the titular beasts, while A Glass Can Only Spill What It Contains is an equally impassioned slab of post-rock. Singer Aaron Weiss is their greatest asset with his remarkably versatile voice, capable of rabid shouting, grungy growling or delicate spoken-word on the quieter 'Spider' songs. This deserves a listen, whether you're a fan of Him or not. [Nick Mitchell]