Mesh
The Point at Which it Falls Apart
Memento Materia
This synthpop duo is difficult for me to make up my mind about. No one I know wants to admit it, but I’ll be manly and tell you I like it – for a while, anyhow. I’ve heard that this release is much more electro than its predecessor, but these guys really put the pop in synthpop. One could almost draw a comparison to Wolfsheim, but these guys take mild guitar and electro, and put it over pop songs so commercial, it sounds like Simon LeBon and Boy George’s lovechild joined Better Than Ezra and attempted industrial. They’re catchy, though. At first. The songs wear out on you easily.
On the first half of the disc, I found myself fond of one particular song, quickly sick of it, fond of another, sick of it, etc. The last two songs on the disc get so gooey, it’s almost like Cyber-Manilow. “People Like Me With This Gun,” the single, appeared on the terrific Septic compilation, which I reviewed last month. This was my basis for picking up this disc. It’s catchy, sentimental, commercial, and cool for a while. But eventually it, well, reaches a point at which it falls apart.
Memento Materia, P.O. Box 24, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 2BF England; http://www.mesh.co.uk
