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Mae

Destination: Beautiful
2003
Tooth & Nail

Mae - Destination: Beautiful (Cover Artwork)


Review by: Themselves
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Tooth & Nail Records (Logo)

Published on May 7th 2004

The last time I heard a CD that sounded this good and blew me away as much as this album did was Jimmy Eat World's masterpiece Clarity. Mae has created an emotional journey that is just as masterful as Clarity was, only masterful in a different way.

Where Clarity often led me to close my eyes and just feel alive, Destination: Beautiful puts the biggest smile on my face. I can't sit still when I listen to this album. Truth be told, halfway through my first listen of Embers and Envelopes I had one of the biggest smiles I've ever had. I was excited to be hearing what I was hearing. It's been a long time since I've heard a band with such a perfcect and unique sound as Mae have. Brandtson came to mind after I heard this CD the whole way through, but Mae stands out more than Brandtson. Mae's songs just glow with meaning; beautiful guitars shine through when they need to and fall back in the mix when need be. Drumming is very solid and stands out quite nicely through out the album. A keyboard is utilized to perfection; the last forty seconds of Sun and all of Embers and Envelopes are a testemant to how much of a difference the keyboard makes. Now for the vocals... beautiful. They lean slightly towards the high end, reminiscent of Death Cab's Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Eat World's Jim Adkins, the vocals have a voice of their own. Beautiful.

Embers and Envelopes, Sun, Soundtrack to Our Movie, Summertime and Goodbye, Goodnight are my favorites. Each shines with uniqueness and emotion that makes Mae so freakin good. Giving It Away and Skyline Drive are the two "ballads" I guess you could say, the two songs slow things down and bring out another side to the band that shines equally as bright. Out of the 11 tracks there is not one dud. I failed to mention the other songs only because of how much the songs I mentioned stand out.

Destination: Beautiful is about as close to a perfect album as I've heard in years. In fact, Mae may have created a perfect album. Beautifully written and played, Destination: Beautiful stands out amongst the rest of the CDs on the shelves. Purchase this album and you will be the proud owner of joy pressed to CD. Push play and let go, Mae will make the sun shine and will bring a smile to your face.



People who liked this also liked:
Mae - The EverglowThis Day & Age - The Bell and the HammerThe Velvet Teen - ElysiumThrice - The Artist In The AmbulanceBrand New - Deja EntenduGet Up Kids - Something To Write Home AboutThe Promise Ring - Wood/WaterThe Promise Ring - Very EmergencyJimmy Eat World - ClarityThe Offspring - Ignition



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    Posted by treos on 2006-08-10 22:01:13

    people who liked this album also liked...Hawthorne Heights, Fallout Boy, and..other Mae, i think ive said all i need to.

    Posted by treos on 2006-08-10 21:56:44

    bleed american was better than clarity

    Posted by treos on 2006-08-10 21:56:02

    The vocalist sounds like he should be singing country music. P.S. country music sucks

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 7, 2006 at 10:17 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    yup. the haters just need a little fuck and they'll come around.

    Posted by _dream_of_me_ on 2006-01-06 22:59:38
    My Score:

    This album blew me away. I love it so much, it never get's old. I'd have to say that Mae is working their way into my top 5 :-)

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 3, 2005 at 2:23 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    boring crap

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 at 6:25 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I love this album. Perfect, though? Comparing it to Jimmy Eat World's Clarity is a long stretch, but it is a great album. Comparing Mae to a Yellowcard song is one the the stupidest comparisons I've ever heard...and to say that Bleed American is better than Clarity......you obviously know nothing about music. Clarity is the most amazing album. At the risk of sounding completely cliche, that album changed my life. Bleed American doesn't come close.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 19, 2004 at 8:46 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Mae is not close to the best band in the world, but they'll sure make more money playing music than the money you'll get from whining ur sorry asses about their shit.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, July 12, 2004 at 3:55 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I agree with this review...its such an awesome album. after i heard it the only way i could actually describe it was "beautiful".

    Posted by KathleenNicole on 2004-06-30 17:15:38
    My Score:

    "stupid trendy girls....i hate this peopel need to listen to music because they freaking liek what they are hearing"
    Who's to say they don't like what they hear? I think it's great when people don't have to dress or act like what they have in their CD player. It adds depth to their personality. Also, Mae rocks. Who honestly cares if they're emo or not? If they can genuinely cause you to smile then they're great. If they cause you to vomit then you need to get your digestive system checked out my friend.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 28, 2004 at 2:58 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Shut the fuck up...by the way this band is fucking awsome. They remind me of that song on the yellowcard cd one year six months and while they really can't be considered punk they are awsome
    -Kaysey

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 28, 2004 at 2:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    wow you guys have no fucking lives...i mean come on...u have nothing better than to make fun of an album that is pretty good...maybe the only reason u make fun of it is cuz u kno u couldnt fucking make an album half as good as this one...and whoever the fuck is making fun of emo better shut the fuck up cuz im ready to bet that they are sum gay little pussy who listens to usher and brittany spears...or thinks they are cool cuz they listen to rancid...guess what? anyone can say this album is gay...or that emo is gay...or that they are punk...who fucking gives a shit....get of ur fucking pedistool and get a life

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 13, 2004 at 8:12 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    You know what? Homophobia is gay.

    -BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 at 5:50 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    BSD is a faggot

    That pussy taking Doc Martins over Sketchers is a faggot. If you wear Doc Martins you need to kill yourfuckingself.

    never heard this band or it's music but it sounds like a bunch of steaming shit floating in a toilet.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 at 10:19 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Why is this being reviewed NOW?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 at 10:19 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I don't mind the music. It honestly is pretty good, but I hate the vocals. It just kills me every time the guy sings.

    Jimmy eat World is a great band. Clarity is an amazing album, but Bleed American is better.

    Posted by TJmoney on 2004-05-11 14:08:31
    My Score:

    "Oh yeah, I hate your Rancid shirt 'cause it's fucking trendy."

    "mae? more like gae"

    LOLerz!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 11, 2004 at 12:45 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    well maybe it's not the music that sucks. maybe it's you

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 at 10:01 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    it's not that it's not "manly enough."

    it just sucks.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 at 9:11 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I think that this is a great band. They obviously have talent. All the guys who say that it's queer music and stuff are just too stupid to know what good music is. They are afraid that it's not "manly" enough. Get over yourselves and really listen to the music.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 at 4:43 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    this album is pretty good, but i can't get over how dumb the name is. just "destination beautiful" to yourself a few times. good lord it is stupid.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 at 8:10 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    These guys are talented. I wouldn't call them "punk", but I had the chance to see them live and thought they were great.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 10:11 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    captaincrunch's rant about dr. thunder and america's best ketchup made me sad that my family is a bunch of cheap bastards

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 7:17 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "At the risk of sounding like a bigoted jock, any boy who likes this must be a faggot jew who loves cock."

    you really should just never say anything again. this is an exceptionally ignorant and ridiculous comment.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 7:11 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    piece?

    Posted by Romeo on 2004-05-09 17:12:12
    My Score:

    Fuck the guy who said this page should be called '' onlyemorevies.org '' if you dont like the site then fuck off pal.

    never heard this band but if its like JEW then fuck it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 4:10 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I like these guys alright, but that singer sure has one annoying voice. The songwriting is good enough that I listen and enjoy anyway, but I wouldn't have been as kind as this review is.

    And Embers and Envelopes is an awesome fuckin' song.

    Piece.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 3:59 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    The record reminds people of J.E.W. because summertime ripped off goodbye sky harbor. I could make that song using a copy of Clarity and a shitty pro tools imitation. YOU LOVE IT because you already heard this record done by 15 other bands before it came out. Only better.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 3:21 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    mae?
    more like gae.

    Posted by BSD on 2004-05-09 14:25:45
    My Score:

    "Oh yeah, I hate your Rancid shirt 'cause it's fucking trendy."

    Assuming that I like Rancid because I really dislike Mae must have made a lot of sense when you were coming down from the heroin, but I'm pretty sober right now, and it seems kind of funny.

    No, I hate Rancid. Rancid are as dumb as Mae.

    -BSD

    Posted by mikeinflames on 2004-05-09 09:41:08
    My Score:

    if you make comments like that you need to look in the dictionary for the word ignorant

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 9:09 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    if you like this band and you're a male, you need to look between your legs and see if you still have a dick.

    music like this is fucking retarded.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 4:41 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Just like Silent Bob, this dude LOVES the cock.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 3:51 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "This record getting a 10 is brought to you by Satan, reminding you that the apocalypse comes a little bit closer with every bad emo record selling 250k."

    Actually this records is bought to you by Jesus, or his minions on earth Tooth and Nail. This cd is proof that although Christians have colonialism down to a tee, satan still makes the best music.

    -the wang

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 3:37 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Hating trendy people is soooo trendy.
    For fucks sake, if you don't like Mae, just state why you hate their music, stop acting all hardcool and bitching about the people who enjoys the band's sound.

    Oh yeah, I hate your Rancid shirt 'cause it's fucking trendy.

    Posted by BSD on 2004-05-09 01:17:28
    My Score:

    No, I stick by my comment. This band is for girls with annoying haircuts who steal purses from thrift stores and take them to school and hide them in their lockers so they won't get caught.

    At the risk of sounding like a bigoted jock, any boy who likes this must be a faggot jew who loves cock.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 12:48 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    some of this is ridiculous, true...but i saw them live a while back, and they are a really terrific band, in the sense that they play amazingly together...they're tight, exacting, and flawless...

    but better songwriting would go a long way...

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at 11:49 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    To bad he was right. Who else likes this band or other bands like them? mojority are trendy little girls and little emo guys who may as well be girls. Am I saying theres anything wrong with this kind of music? no. But is it any good? no. It's just a fucking advertisement.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at 3:40 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I don't know, but I'll never ever listen to them because the annoying trendy girls at my school who think they're all so alternative love them.

    way to go BSD, yet another retarded comment from you.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at 1:12 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    More like... "destination: toilet bowl."

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, May 8, 2004 at 12:45 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    These guys used to be better when they were called "Sky's The Limit", seriously. I like the guys voice, but their sound is so damn generic. They don't do much to make themselves stand out. I do have a soft spot for that "Summertime" song, but I wouldn't ever really reccomend this album.

    absolutely NOT worthy of a ten.

    -benz

    Posted by KirbyPuckett on 2004-05-08 10:53:21
    My Score:

    I saw this band open for the Starting Line (look man, don't ask, I went w/ my g/f).

    Anyways, g e n e r i c.

    That is all.

    P.S. -- The Suicide Machines are better than you.

    Posted by captaincrunch on 2004-05-08 00:53:33
    My Score:

    Its funny, I saw these guys with Motion City soundtrack a while back and I thought to myself "these guys were a lot better when they used to be called Jimmy Eat World." In reality, they are like a poor man's version of JEW.

    Like buying Dr. Thunder from wal-mart instead of spending the extra 50 cents on Dr. Pepper.

    Or buying sketchers instead of Doc Martens. For crying out loud, you're going to go through 7 or 8 pairs of sketchers in the same amount of time that one pair of Docs lasts.

    Seriously, if this is a 10 then Clarity must be an 18 or 19. Its kind of an insult to say that this is even in the same ballpark.

    Hey, pass the ketchup. I'll take the Heinz, not your 'america's best' watery shit.

    -Captain Crunch

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 10:50 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    ahaha

    jew.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 8:37 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    jesus christ change the name of this website to onlyemoreviews.org oh and fuck this band.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 8:27 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    pretty
    good
    cd

    Posted by thefunkybrother on 2004-05-07 20:27:49
    My Score:

    "Jesus is hogging all the nails."

    Holy shit, that was classic.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 8:25 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    last days of april's "Ascend to the Stars" reminds me JEW's "Clarity". Not Mae.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 8:24 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    love it.

    also recommends:
    Jimmy Eat World - Clarity

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 7:28 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I don't know, but I'll never ever listen to them because the annoying trendy girls at my school who think they're all so alternative love them.

    That's my logic.

    -BSD

    stupid trendy girls....i hate this peopel need to listen to music because they freaking liek what they are hearing

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 7:18 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I don't know, but I'll never ever listen to them because the annoying trendy girls at my school who think they're all so alternative love them.

    That's my logic.

    -BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 6:08 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Omgwtflol!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 5:58 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I like JEW too, but this just isn't a good album... unless you're assessing it solely as a measurement of the capacity of a group to play their instruments proficiently and the ability of a different group to determine how loud each instrument should sound when played simultaneously.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 5:57 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    great review for a great band.

    Posted by Icapped2pac on 2004-05-07 17:53:36
    My Score:

    "Jesus is hogging all the nails."

    Holy fuck dude. I know people type "LOL" a lot, but I seriously laughed out loud. Score's for the comment. Pure gold.

    Posted by mikeinflames on 2004-05-07 17:29:30
    My Score:

    mae are my guilty pleasure
    i like them
    they are good
    and they put on a decent live show

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 5:27 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    What a faggot.

    Posted by flummo on 2004-05-07 17:18:17
    My Score:

    I disagree with this review.

    Posted by OKSoda on 2004-05-07 17:14:29
    My Score:

    "If this is a 10, somebody please give a couple of nails to bust my eardrums."

    Jesus is hogging all the nails.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 4:35 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    clarity is overrated? uh. no. its a masterpiece

    Posted by i-type-poorly on 2004-05-07 16:17:12
    My Score:

    Jesus, Clarity is so overrated. I will continue to have none of this mae.

    Posted by 7Thereislifeinthis7 on 2004-05-07 15:36:29
    My Score:

    10....uhh sure man.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 3:31 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    mae suuuuuuuuuuuucks.

    Posted by johnnydanger on 2004-05-07 15:25:22
    My Score:

    This record getting a 10 is brought to you by Satan, reminding you that the apocalypse comes a little bit closer with every bad emo record selling 250k.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 3:11 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I am glad that all you self-proclaimed "scene participants" are so holier-than-thou. Quit your crying.

    Posted by thefunkybrother on 2004-05-07 15:10:57
    My Score:

    If this is a 10, somebody please give a couple of nails to bust my eardrums.
    -TFB

    Posted by maverick on 2004-05-07 15:05:27
    My Score:

    My sister is huge into these guys.

    Her other current favorites are Something Corporate and Number One Fan.

    So yeah.

    -Scott

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 2:48 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    gag me with a cock

    Posted by inagreendase on 2004-05-07 14:48:35
    My Score:

    This is pretty crappy. The vocals are so whiny, and this thing is far from original.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 2:47 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "the vocals have a voice of their own"...
    what the shit does that mean?
    most of these reviews make me
    ashamed to be into this scene

    Posted by Steve_Buscemi on 2004-05-07 14:16:03
    My Score:

    I immediately thought clarity when i heard this. it's not bad, but definitely not a 10 dude.

    Posted by Haggard on 2004-05-07 14:15:15
    My Score:

    "The last time I heard a CD that sounded this good and blew me away as much as this album did was Jimmy Eat World's masterpiece Clarity"