CASSETTE REVIEW: M A T H “Odes” (Almost Halloween Time Records)

http://almosthalloweentimerecords.bandcamp.com/album/odes

            As I prepare my second review for Almost Halloween Time Records, I can’t help but think that this label might be known as the one who puts out all those cassettes with hand drawn artwork.  I also can’t help but think about how awesome that is.   Here I was going to go to a nearby cheap store and buy weird postcards for fifteen cents each and include a hand written message on one with each cassette I release…  I also bought this pack of soccer themed patches at Savers and thought I’d include one with each cassette if I ever did a cassette label (Though my son likes them too much now for me to give away as such)   But, no, being known as the hand drawn art guy could quite possibly be the best way to go.

            This isn’t my first time hearing M A T H and I certainly hope that it is not my last time either.  The music has that lo-fi/home recording quality and comes out between twangy rock and acoustic bliss.   Though there is some background screaming this maintains the general feel of it being not quite emo, which is awesome because if it was whiny it could be emo and I’m so glad that it’s not.   

            The lyrics on here are something else too.  It can be rather wordy (like a Say Anything song), but the first song itself is called “I Am Tetsuo”, which is about the character Tetsuo who is the star of the movie “AKIRA”, and before I ever saw that movie I had the same common misperception that most people probably have in thinking that the main character is probably also the titular character.  

            On the other hand, we have a line such as  “I promise you in a week or two you won’t have to deal with me any more’, which can be interpreted in a number of different ways but all of them somehow stray from the powerful idea that I am Tetsuo and I don’t need you anymore. 

 

            Ultimately, this music doesn’t make me feel as sad as it does strong and I like that about it.   It could be perceived as pessimistic at times, but I like to think of it more as just being realistic.   Additionally, that’s always kind of been my personal life philosophy—that I could be perceived as pessimistic but am really just a realist.