Hey, does anybody remember the band Earthsuit?

Well, you're in for a treat if you liked those guys. Earthsuit's rap/rock/reggae/electronica gumbo was one of the most unique styles to hit Christian music in quite a while, and unfortunately, they only cut one album for Sparrow Records before deciding to call it quits. Lead singers Adam LaClave and Paul Meany found themselves writing songs in their preferred styles and trying to fit them into the middle ground between them that was the "Earthsuit sound". They eventually realized that they'd both be stronger doing their own separate things. Divide and conquer, so to speak. And that's exactly what they did. Adam went off and formed a group called Macrosick, while Paul, along with drummer Darren King and guitarist Greg Hill, make up the other new unit, Mute Math. I haven't had a chance to hear any of Macrosick's stuff just yet, but Mute Math has definitely gotten a jump on things by singing to a brand new label (Teleprompt Records, run by one of my personal favorite producers Tedd T.) and getting a dazzling new EP entitled Reset out on the market lickety-split.

Yep, that's right. I'm getting all excited about an EP again. Not a normal occurrence for me, because I'm more of an "albums" guy. But this isn't one of those "One good single to showcase and four or five tracks of random crap" deals. No sir, Mute Math has given us five quality songs and two instrumental tracks that overflow with creativity and quality. If you liked Earthsuit but thought the rap element was a little to harsh for your ears, then this will probably suit you well. I personally liked the rap element, and I find it kind of ironic that Paul Meany, who did most of the rapping for that band, would take a comparatively smoother vocal approach on this album. He also plays the keyboards, and that explains the vibey nature of most of these new songs - even when the band is furiously rocking out, there's a certain sense of "chilling out" that comes with this music. More surprising than any of this is the realization that the lyrics fit into the basic subject matter of worship and encouragement that are common among Christian bands, and yet for the most part, they don't wander off into cliché-ville. How do they do that? I honestly can't tell you.

If you're one of the many who has no clue about this Earthsuit band I keep mentioning, then I guess some other comparisons are necessary. U2 and The Police seem to be the more classic influences here, and the pseudo-reggae vibe that creeps in every now and then reminds me of a smoothed-out P.O.D., 311, or Pax217 at times. Then there's a bit of electronic tinkering that brings to mind The Flaming Lips, and an overall worldview that would make Switchfoot proud. If that sounds like an appealing combination, then you might as well just go buy this thing. I've found it as cheap as five bucks, so what do you really have to lose?

Control
Now, I know I just told you that this wasn't one of those EP's that you buy for just one good song. And that's true. But the opening track is definitely Mute Math's finest moment thus far, and I dare say one of the most addictive singles of the year. Opening up with the warm glow of an electronic piano, the band breaks out into a spirited, driving jam that somehow seems like it creates a wide open space for the group to frolic in even though it's such a compact and tightly performed song. U2's "Beautiful Day" would actually be a stellar comparison, since it's got a similar sense of unbridled joy that unexpectedly breaks free from an electronic background. Paul Meany's lyrics are very simple and prayerful here, asking God to "Take control of the atmosphere" and basically acknowledging that there's no reason for him to be here if not for his Creator. By the time he gets to the chorus, in which he croons "Such a beautiful surrender", the song just feels like its flying. Darren's quick drum work definitely adds to that feeling - he's able to add so much to a deceptively simple rock song with an intricately tapped-out beat. Man, I just can't get enough of this one - it's the perfect pick-me-up for a gloomy autumn day.

Peculiar People
My Switchfoot comparison from earlier is most appropriate here, since Paul and Darren co-wrote it with Switchfoot's lead singer Jonathan Foreman. If you liked the bouncy reggae-rock feel of Earthsuit's big party song "One Time", then this is a perfect example of what Earthsuit would sound like minus the rap. Lyrically, this one actually reminds me of "Wheel", since it takes a simple Biblical idea and kind of meditates on it over a pulsating beat. The idea here is simply that we are a "peculiar people" that will sprout wings and "fly like eagles". Such an idea packs a little more of a punch when the band backing it up doesn't sound ordinary and boring. Some listeners might get a little bored with the repetition, but I think Mute Math's style lends itself well to dwelling on one idea for a little while without getting irritating in its repetition.

OK
If there's one song where Mute Math falls short in the lyrics department here. It's a shame, because there's a great vibe floating throughout this song, which floats along slowly like morning fog. The keyboard tones and the vague feedback of a guitar create an atmosphere that reminds me very much of Sigur Rós - any moment now, I'm expecting a sonar ping! This song finds Paul fretting over past sins and longing for redemption, and the message God gives him is simply "It's OK, it's OK, you've become my embrace." Because of the extremely chill music, this has the effect of a parent holding a very young child, and it doesn't sound as trite and cliché as it might over a catchy pop backdrop. Still, I think the song's title is reflected one too many times, and since "OK" isn't exactly one of the more powerful words in the English language, this is one song that could use a little work. Their ability to create ambience is top-notch, so now they just some more intriguing lyrics to match it.

Reset
One thing that we never got to hear from Earth suit (at least not on an official album) was a good instrumental track. I knew that there was enough instrumental talent in the band for them to be able to pull off some sort of vibe-laden, electronic tinkering, and that's exactly what they've done here. Darren takes the lead for this one, laying down a strong beat which he then proceeds to cut up and manipulate, creating an surreal atmosphere that has a definite component of awe to it. When combined with Paul's electronic keyboard waves and Greg's slightly spacey snippets of guitar playing, it reminds me of what it might sound like if The Flaming Lips did an instrumental track with Linkin Park. I know that probably sounds like an unholy alliance to some of you, but from where I sit, it's heavenly. As the song progress towards the five-minute mark, the beats begin to get more frenetic and finely ground, until the song finally dissolves into thin air.

Plan B
OK, it's time for another rocker. This one relies on a little more of an urban beat and a scratchier vocal from Paul - this guy can really wail when he wants to, and he does so in fine form here. The instrumental tactics from the last track kind of stick around here in order to add to the songs - there are those little catchy guitar parts in between the verse and chorus, the more in-your-face drumming and guitar playing on the chorus, and the relaxed, beat-driven verses. As for what it's about, only the title and what snippets of the lyrics I can make out will be able to help me here - Paul's enunciation doesn't give me much to work with here, which results in a highly catchy chorus that I can't sing along to. (You have no idea how frustrating that can be, but I still love the song.) If I had to guess, I'd say that this song is about the sovereignty of God and how none of man's plotting and scheming can thwart whatever it is that God wants to do. The song gets more intense and very nearly breaks apart near the end with some slightly chaotic drumming and Paul's shouting, and I like that they seem to be not quite content with staying inside the lines here.

Progress
The album finishes with another "chill" track, using a deep, quirky bass line to set the pace for its groovy 6/8 rhythm. Someone I was talking to about Mute Math called this song "the best song Switchfoot never wrote" or something like that, and I can definitely see Switchfoot here in the whole "This Is Your Life" theme that's going on here, but nope, no Foreman co-writing credit this time. I like how the band locks into a solid groove and stays there, and how Darren makes the song seem faster-paced than it is just due to the swingy manner in which he taps out the rhythm. Paul gets to stretch his voice here and basically ask us to remember what we're here for and what God designed us to be. In some ways, it's got a similar vibe to "Said the Sun to the Shine", and the correlation is especially apparent when Paul says that we are "Like an instrument for a song, like a sun for tomorrow's dawn".

Afterward
This final track is actually just a coda for "Progress" - a minute and a half or so of echoing keyboards and other synthesized/sampled stuff, kind of little wisps of the sun that peel off as a starship is passing by in one of those sci-fi-type movies. The band actually credits well-known worship band Delirious? in the liner notes for letting them use a sample of their instrumental track "Glo in the Dark, Pt. 4". This may be where that sample comes into play, since I think I can hear the faint cry of strings, albeit in a wraped and muffled form. Mute Math seems to have a think for mutating and otherwise manipulating the sounds of live instruments, and I think that'll allow for some fun exploration on their first full album.

I should probably mention that we'll have to wait until 2005 to get a full album from these guys. My appetite has certainly been primed for that, because while the songs on this EP all stand out individually, there's a certain mood and flow to Reset that makes Mute Math seem like more of an album-oriented band. That will hopefully result in a full-length debut that takes the listener on an alternately rocking and meditative journey to God only knows where, rather than just a random collection of songs that try to get your attention with strong beats and stuff. It'll be interesting to see whether Mute Math purposefully pursues the modern worship angle in an attempt to breathe some life back into an overdone genre of lyrics, or whether they go with more of a surreal or witty lyrical approach like Earthsuit did. If they do the former, they'll probably end up being one of the finest in the worship arena, easily on par with other creative bands such as Something Like Silas. If they go in the other direction, then it may well be something markedly different for most Christian bookstore browsers, something that I hope gets the commercial push it needs to break out of the crowd and say "Here I am, and I won't be ignored." Either way, I think Mute Math has a bright future ahead of them, at least in the sense of critical acclaim. They've got loads of potential, and I can't wait to hear what's still to come.

ALBUM WORTH:
Control $2
Peculiar People $1.50
OK $1.50
Reset $1.50
Plan B $2
Progress $1.50
Afterward $.50
TOTAL: $10.50

Band Members:
Paul Meany: Vocals, keyboards
Darren King: Drums, programming
Greg Hill: Guitars

Website: http://www.mutemath.com

By the way, you can listen to a 64kbps stream of this entire EP on WinAmp's website:

http://www.winamp.com/music/artist.php?id=676565

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying