MewithoutYou (stylised as mewithoutYou) is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based experimental rock band. The band consists of vocalist Aaron Weiss, guitarist Michael Weiss, guitarist Christopher Kleinberg, bassist Greg Jehanian
... MewithoutYou (stylised as mewithoutYou) is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based experimental rock band. The band consists of vocalist Aaron Weiss, guitarist Michael Weiss, guitarist Christopher Kleinberg, bassist Greg Jehanian and drummer Rickie Mazzotta. MewithoutYou's music is generally dominated by spoken-word vocals and free-ranging drums, bass, and guitar. In their most recent album, Brother, Sister, the band incorporates more varied instrumentation including percussion instruments, accordion, and harp. Aaron Weiss writes lyrics about issues such as unity or division in the church, suicide, money, war and love. They tour in a 40 foot 1976 MC8 Charter bus that runs on vegetable oil.
History:
The band was originally conceived as a side project. The Weiss brothers and former guitarist Christopher Kleinberg were playing together in another band called The Operation (who released one album and one EP, 2001's There Is Hope for a Tree Cut Down & 1999's Invisible Man EP, on Takehold Records), but Aaron wanted to start another band to experiment with new sounds. After picking up Rick Mazzotta on drums and Ray Tadeo on bass, Kleinberg and the Weiss brothers created mewithoutYou and released their first EP (I Never Said That I Was Brave) in 2001 and shortly thereafter signed to Tooth & Nail Records after a show at Cornerstone Festival the same year. Around this time Tadeo had moved on, Daniel Pishock picked up as the bass player, and The Operation disbanded soon afterward. MewithoutYou's debut full-length album, [A→B] Life, was released in 2002. The band garnered more attention for their second release, 2004's Catch for Us the Foxes, which was produced by Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Sunny Day Real Estate). In December 2004 Pishock had made a decision to retire as the bassist for the band and former Operation frontman, Greg Jehanian, was selected to replace him. In 2005, MewithoutYou won mtvU's "Left Field" award for most original artist. Their third album, Brother, Sister, again produced by Wood, was released on September 26, 2006. In late 2007, guitarist Christopher Kleinberg left the band, to pursue a degree in medicine. Kleinberg was replaced by Pete Syuom in the fall of 2007, but later returned to play with the band on their 2008 Summer tour since school was not in session.
Aaron Weiss provides narration for the Forgive Durden album entitled, "Razia's Shadow: A Musical" which was released October 28, 2008. He also provides vocals for Norma Jean's "Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste" and Indie/Hip Hop project Bella Futuro's "70 X 7".
As of September 2008 the band has finished recording the follow-up to Brother, Sister titled, it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright. The title of the album is taken from parable 518 in the book 'The Golden Words of a Sufi Sheikh" by Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. In this he writes, "It's all false, It's all a dream, It's all crazy, It's all over, It's all right, Let's see what's next". The latest album is a departure from Weiss' trademark shouting and the band's raucous grooves. The mile-a-minute rants, thick with vocal and lyrical angst, are traded for simpler melodies with lyrics about anthropomorphic food and animals. Similarly, the band has scaled back their edgier post-hardcore sound, at times trading riffs for chords and guitars for pianos. Even a classical composer was called into their Fishtown, Philadelphia studio for various arrangements on several tracks. The album was produced by Dan Smith (Danielson, Sufjan Stevens) and Brian McTear and is currently being mixed by Brad Wood.
Lyrical themes:
The Weiss brothers are of Jewish descent and their songs explore Judeo-Christian themes. The Weiss brothers were also raised in a Sufi household—their mother had converted from the Episcopal church, and their father from Judaism. Due to the Christian themes of Aaron Weiss' lyrics, they have been categorized as a Christian band, although in interview, A. Weiss has stated he doesn't think they are a Christian band. Their lyrics reflect a personal relationship with God, and are not evangelical. Other lyrical themes explored include suffering and self-doubt.
The last song from their first album "A to B: Life" called "The Cure for Pain" is taken from a "Rumi" poem.
The title of their second album Catch for Us the Foxes is taken directly from Song of Songs 2:15: "Catch for us the foxes,/ the little foxes/ that ruin the vineyards,/ our vineyards that are in bloom" (New International Version). This passage is also used in the song "The Soviet": "Good God, please! Catch for us the foxes in the vineyard — the little foxes".
The title of their third album, Brother, Sister, is derived from St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Sun": "We praise You, Lord, […] especially for Brother Sun, […] We praise You, Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars".
Their fourth album, it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright explores many of the teachings of Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. The sufi teacher's story of "The Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie" from "My Love You My Children: 101 Stories for Children" is told as well as his story about the "King Beetle" from "The Divine Luminous Wisdom that Dispels Darkness." Other concepts from the teacher are explored in "Allah, Allah, Allah," about seeing God in every blade of grass and in "Fig with a Bellyache" dealing with sexual temptation from "The Divine Luminous Wisdom..." and "The Golden Words of a Sufi Sheikh."
![[A --> B] Life](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000067UPK.02._PB_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
