Search - Mesh :: Who Watches Over Me

Mesh's masterpiece

Ethan Straffin | Palo Alto, CA USA | 03/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"That this album isn't out in the U.S., despite Mesh's signing to Columbia, is a crime. Should you spend $36.49 on the import? Arguably not: for that kind of money, you'd really expect the album to come complete with illicit drugs. Then again, as of this writing, the minimum used price was down to $14.60 -- and, folks, that's a steal, because this is one of the finest albums ever made within its genre. Nothing against Iris, Wolfsheim, De/Vision, Camouflage, et al., but this U.K. trio have hereby thrown down the gauntlet and topped everything that their fellow Depeche Mode updaters have accomplished. With a nod to the title of Mesh's previous work, this is the point at which it has all come together.The fun starts with "Leave You Nothing" and "Friends Like These," which are easily Mesh's finest singles to date. This album's treasures hardly stop there, though. Just listen to "I Can't Imagine How It Hurts" -- the marvelous timbre changes on the main synth figure, the complex and subtle percussion (including the nifty ride cymbal on the verse), the gorgeous transitions from minor to major and back -- and tell me that these guys don't have their songwriting, programming, and production alike down to an art.Granted, not everything here is unassailable. In particular, the dance-industrial tracks ("Firefly," "Retaliation," and "What Does It Cost You?") don't really add much to what's been done better before, and "Razorwire" is pretty much a waste of 3:58 no matter how you classify it. No matter. The other two-thirds of the album more than make up for it, from the savage political commentary of "Little Missile" to the self-effacing introspectiveness of "Four Walls" to the closing catharsis of "The Trouble We're In."If there's been a better "dark synth" album since DM's _Violator_, I'm not aware of it -- and this one stacks up impressively against even that landmark. After three or four full-lengths (depending on how you count), Mesh have made one for the ages. Buy it. Buy it now."

The beautiful lovechild of DM and NIN.

R O C K E T | The Twin Cities, MN | 04/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My introduction to Mesh was The Point At Which It Falls Apart. I had read some good reviews of it and happened to spot it in a used CD shop, so I picked it up. I have to say I was disappointed. I thought it was highly overrated. However, I could tell the band had a lot of potential, so I picked up Who Watches Over Me despite my reluctance. WWOM is leaps and bounds above TPAWIFA. This album didn't leave my player for months. As my title suggests, the sound is a pleasant marriage of Depeche Mode's amazing synthwork and songwriting and Nine Inch Nails' raw dark edge. It doesn't stray much from the general sound of their previous releases, but now the sound has been perfected and is simply...better. I immediately fell in love with tracks like "To Be Alive," "Little Missile," "Four Walls," "The Place You Hide," "Friends Like These," and my two favorites: "I Can't Imagine How It Hurts" and "The Trouble We're In," which are both slower, but emotional and beautiful. There are a few songs I could do without ("Firefly," "Retaliation," "What Does It Cost You," and my least favorite: "Razorwire"), but overall this is an amazing album - both dark and emotional. Highly recommended for fans of DM, NIN, Iris, Statemachine, De/Vision, and Wolfsheim. I look forward to future releases from the band."

Welcome to the best album of 2002!

okb1068 | Chalfont, PA | 12/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dark, haunting, powerful, awesome... the descriptions just don't do justice to this album. Mesh is a consistent band, consistently
improving their art.
Admittedly, this disk was hotly anticipated and it pays off big time! From the haunting opening notes of 'Firefly' you are drawn into an amazing musical experience. "Let's make it better..." indeed. There isn't a weak song on the disk.
The second single, 'Friends like these' is easily my favorite track. The lyrics just blow me away. Mesh deserves a larger audience. Here is a band far more capable and intelligent than what you find on the radio. Take a risk and explore the realm of Dark Wave music. Mesh is a perfect introduction... WWOM, the best album of 2002, easily."