Catch For Us the Foxes is mewithoutYou's second full-length album. It contains twelve original studio tracks.
The album's title comes from Song of Songs 2:15, a verse of the Bible that says, "Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom." (NIV) Song of Songs has long been considered by Christians to be not only a love poem between a man and his lover, but also an extended metaphor for a Christian believer's relationship with God. It is fitting, then, that mewithoutYou's album title quotes that book of the Bible. "Catch For Us the Foxes" is packed with both poetic love lyrics and spiritual references. Some lines use overtly Biblical language, such as the words, "Jonah," or "Sinai." Outside of the actual Bible, theological ideas are introduced by the lyrics. "Purity of heart is to want one thing," words muttered thickly in the chorus of the song "Leaf," are the title of Soren Kierkegaard's book Purity of Heart is To Will One Thing. The connection between physical love and spiritual devotion is made obvious as a key theme through so many spiritual references, mixed with love lyrics.
Chapter 2 verse 15 of Song of Songs hints at some of the dysfunctions of the relationship portrayed in the book. This is another reason the album's title is so fitting, as the lyrics show spiritual and love lives shaken by anger and doubt. Relationships portrayed in the album, both romantic and spiritual, are tense and full of dysfunction, awe, and passion, three key components of their base verse in Song of Songs.
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01.
Torches Together
02.
January 1979
03.
Tie Me Up! Untie Me!
04.
Leaf
05.
Disaster Tourism
06.
Seven...Sisters
07.
The Soviet
08.
Paper-Hanger
09.
My Exit, Unfair
10.
Four Word Letter (Pt. Two)
11.
Carousels
12.
Son of a Widow
Entry last edited by on 04.05.11
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Catch for Us the Foxes| Posted August 27, 2008
Flashback to roughly one year ago. I was recommended to check out this beautiful, artistic Christian band called mewithoutYou. Alright, sounds interesting. The reviews I had read from a few trusted sites made it sound promising. I check out a track. Music sounds beautiful, guitars and piano are a nice touch and the atmosphere is phenominal. I'm anticipating the vocals because that usually makes it or breaks it for me and when they finally come in... I can't stand it! What is this mess? The guy isn't screaming but he's talking out the lyrics, which are so deep I don't know what they mean! Then the chorus comes in and he switches to yelling... ugh... it must end...
Over the course of the past year I'd wait a few months then give them another try. I'm not sure if it's because I want to like them or the music outside of the vocals sounded so promising. I managed to complete a few tracks but still couldn't handle it. Then came about a month ago when they came up in a conversation and I had forgotten about them. So, sure enough, I decided to give them another try. I braced myself for the vocals and... I could tolerate it now? It still wasn't entirely sticking but hey! I could tolerate it! I found this gem online for a cheap price and anxiously awaited it's arrival. Boy, am I glad I stuck with it because it's one of the most beautiful and original pieces of music I have ever heard.
What's it sound like? Uh, well, that's a bit difficult. Aaron Weiss, the lead vocalist and writer, is the best lyricist and poet of our time. Yeah, there are Christian themes but he oh so cleverly drops the references in amidst real life stories. He's so deep with his ideas it may very well blow your mind... or at least make you cry. The music frequently has heavy guitar riffs, and addictive ones at that, along with phenominal bass lines ('Leaf' and 'Seven Sisters' come to mind) to craft each song. The only downside to those vocals, even if you do grow to like them, is it tends to sound the same across each song even though his pacing is different and the music entirely is. That's just because that vocal style is near impossible to have variety across 12 tracks. Aaron does have a great singing voice that he uses in the somber album closer, 'Son of a Widow'. It perfectly fits the mood of the music. And while this isn't a concept album, it does seem to have a common theme in a few of the songs dealing with the album title and 'foxes in the vinyard'.
If you can get past the vocals you have a very rewarding and challenging experience ahead of you. I finally did to where they don't grate on my nerves and I couldn't be happier. Keep giving them a try and don't give up on them. Hopefully it clicks and it's almost like a whole new world of music is opened to you. It's a beautiful one.
Gems of this album are: 'January 1979', 'Torches Together', 'Leaf', 'Paper Hanger'
Don't Be Without It| Posted July 09, 2009
Is there a better analogy of a diamond within the rough than this band? Through the rough that is Aaron Weiss's vocal style comes the diamond that is "Catch for Us the Foxes." Inspiring beauty track after track is a task most bands are not up to but one that mewithoutYou will never fail to deliver. The catchiest guitar rythyms are laid over Weiss's vocals (which I have come to love as a much needed component of the band's chemistry) to draw in even the most sceptical listener. Hate it if you dare but love it because you can. You can hardly avoid loving January 1979, Tie Me Up! Untie Me!, Disaster Tourism, The Soviet, and (if you enjoy Weiss's vocals) Four Word Letter (Pt. 2).
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