Media Jeweler - $99 R/T Hawaii

Media Jeweler
$99 R/T Hawaii
2015

$99 R/T Hawaii  and Media Jeweler in general are a lot like modern art. The bones for something great are all there. The sounds and the feeling is always right on the cusp of actually being something that you want to listen to, however at some point it takes a turn, away from music and into art rock. This is not always a bad thing, but it does leave you asking a lot of questions when the album is finished. Did we really need a track of just hitting a drum a few times intermittently? Is repeating a couple phrases over and over minus any direction really something we need to listen to? The answer is not so clear. On one hand Media Jeweler are making math rock that once broken down really has some fine elements. The guitars though repetitive sound absolutely fantastic and have a rhythm and pace that you really want to dive in to. The drums' off beat movements and consistent changes are challenging in the best way possible, it is something new and exciting each time you listen.

However, this album suffers in its pursuit of something odd. There is a sense that Media Jeweler are getting in their own way with this record over thinking each note to the point of bending it into submission. The album is short at only seven tracks and 23 minutes but the constant changes and new sounds coming at you keeps you constantly guessing at what could be next. There is absolutely no guessing at what could be next on the horizon. Because the sound is always evolving and shifting there is no way to decipher any kind of direction for the record, it just kind of is what it is. While Media Jeweler's mastery of math rock is pretty clear actually getting into this album is difficult and will miss the mark for most people. $99 R/T Hawaii is a nice exploration of a genre, but most likely a pass.

5.2 out of 10