Shout! Online :: mesh - «We Collide»

mesh - «We Collide»

Last updated 04.06.08

Mesh know what their fans expect of them: «This Is What You Wanted» is the title of one of their most catchy and in this connection also most unusual songs from their new album «We Collide». The British trio doesn’t cease to amaze us, despite having released seven albums and nine singles so far, and despite wide acclaim from the media and successful concerts all over Europe. How does vocalist Mark put it? «This is not just about music, it’s more like your favourite book – you keep having to read it over and over again. Each time you enjoy passages that you already know and also discover something new, something exciting.» «We Collide» sounds new and exciting, but then again pleasantly familiar and yet so surprising. «We Collide» presents intelligent and gripping pop music at its best. In short: «We Collide» presents Mesh 2006!

The first single, «Crash», with its reflective lyrics about the unpredictability of life shows Mesh as a mature and imaginative band. Analogies to the history of music quickly spring to mind. The music spans from classical, partly wave-influenced soundscapes to very modern arrangements. In other places you can discover ingredients that make up the style of bands such as U2, Garbage or Manic Street Preachers, well, something like that. However, the three Mesh musicians Mark, Neil and Rich don’t just leave it at that, reminiscing, but couple traditional cross-references with fresh, modern elements ahead of their time. Each of the twelve current songs on «We Collide» bears the band’s inimitable, unique musical trademark successfully combining electronic and natural instruments. Mesh songs venture into unfathomed depths without sounding excessively avant-garde. They are catchy, danceable and exciting through and through.

Above all, it’s the vocal melodies that stand in the epicentre of the Mesh'ian sound quake. Like glowing lava they flow out of their songs, spread out, lay down a red carpet and provide enveloping warmth. Be it in catchy tunes such as «Open Up The Ground» with its driving beat, the melancholic but playful «What Are You Scared Of?», the sentimental and very personal «No Place Like Home» or the almost atmospheric «Room With A View» – the temperature always seems to rise the more you listen to the tracks. «We were very pleased with «Who Watches Over Me» and released the album we had always wanted to make at the time. But this time we wanted to create something that sounded rougher, more ambitious and even more energetic,» is how Neil compares We Collide» to the successful predecessor. «The new songs get the listener interested and wake him up from time to time, instead of sounding perfect or too relaxing. We wanted to produce an album with real clout.»

The lyrics on the new songs go one step further. «This album is a continuation of the issues we raised on «Who Watches Over Me»,» songwriter Mark reveals. «It’s less about me, but more about the way I see other people behave.» So is the title, «We Collide», meant to reflect the way individuals live together in society? Mark: «Some people meet. Some people collide.» For example, the double murder of two 10-year-old girls in England in the mid 90s that horrified the nation prompted Mark to write the moving lyrics for «Can You Mend Hearts».

The seriousness of their creativity can also be seen from their collaboration with Gareth Jones (producer and sound technician of numerous Depeche Mode albums) who was already under discussion for «Who Watches Over Me». «Back then we still had doubts as to whether working together with Gareth was a good idea, especially in view of him being so close to Depeche Mode,» Rich discloses. «When his name came up again for «We Collide», we did some research and noticed that he has worked for a big variety of artists and styles and was also involved on the current Embrace album. We then met him at a concert in London and immediately realised that he was the right man for us.» Jones recorded the vocals with Mark in London and then joined Mesh in the studio to mix the songs. «He works very quickly, intuitively and accurately, and he has a really good ear with regard to knowing which elements to accentuate in each song.»

«The World’s A Big Place» is the final song on the album (hidden track). And that is good so. Because the wonderful melodious Mesh songs need lots of room to allow their charm to develop to the full. So let’s give «We Collide» plenty of time and room to unfold at its heart’s content. And to return to the start: Yes, this is what we wanted!

mesh

	mark vocal, lyrics full name: Mark Hockings born: 16.06.1967
	rick keyboards, music full name: Richard Silverthorn born: 13.06.1966
	neil keyboards, music full name: Neil Taylor born: 03.01.1966