Lackluster. Almost boring in spots. There, now you can move on and go track down some interesting music without wasting anymore time on this weak effort at modern music. Still reading? Hmm, did the part where I paraphrased, “Disappointing disc, go check out something vibrant” not sink in yet? I am trying to help you by saving your time by starting with a conclusive, brief summary so you can move on to something more worthy of these precious moments of your life.

In a few spots this album actually got pretty close to being interesting, but in other places it came closer to pissing me off. I cannot help but admit it occurs to me that this is how women feel after disappointing sex. Things hint at building towards something new and interesting, not quite an enjoyable tease, but hinting at going in that direction, but then they squarely let you down. The songs end or drone on without getting anywhere. They fall flat and lifeless in a way that is disturbing. You can tell the elements are all there. Each instrument and vocal sounds the way it is supposed to and is engineered and mixed fairly well. There are times where you whip your head around with a smile thinking, “that is starting to sound just like [cool-band-name].”

I didn’t mean to be so harsh, but after about a dozens times through the CD (I really do try), the dislikes and disappointments were growing and the few high points were getting harder to remember and even harder to find. Not once did I walk away from the album humming a melody or with a cool lyric or riff running through my head. I am sure there could be a lot of people that will like this music. It is quite possible Mellowdrone puts on an incredible live show and they just have not found a way to put their art and soul in to a recording yet. The biggest surprise was finding out that this is actually a band. After a few listens I became convinced that this was a one-man show done in a home studio. It has that un-inventiveness so typical of bands that turn out to be one guy. There are amazing exceptions, but they are few.

For me, there is just so much good music in the last couple of years that it is tough to give much credit and listening time to someone who doesn’t jump off the CD as a compelling artist after a few listens. If you want to hear some hint of where this music could have gone if it had ripened a bit found a foothold in melody or intensity, check out VAST or Stabbing Westward from the mid/late 90s. I am pretty sure track 4 pays homage to a VAST melody/arrangement or two…

Except for someone who decides to be a fan, I am left feeling that Mellowdrone will vanish in to the exponentially expanding haze of indie offerings. If you read this review this far, I want to assume you are someone from the band, maybe Jonathan himself? If so, my apologies, I imagine I might be crushed and consdier throwing in the towel after reading a review like this. After putting so much in to something so obviously on the verge – I hope you and the band can break out of this place you ended up in. I don’t know what it takes to make it to the next level, but I hope you make it. I love the sound I am hearing, but I don’t feel the art. I am not caught by the music and compelled to go deeper or listen again.

To the casual listener and reader – checkout Rogue Wave’s Descended Like Vultures or Dredg’s Catch Without Arms. Not looking for something new? Go dig up something from the two bands I mentioned above. Check out VAST’s debut or Music for People and if you really want to crank it up – and I do encourage you to do so – with no holds barred, I highly recommend Stabbing Westward’s Wither Blister Burn & Peel.

Note: After writing the above I gave Box one last listen – the whole album – because I felt I needed to give it one last chance and I was hoping for some turn-of-phrase inspiration to come to me that would allow be to close this review on an interesting note. Like the album, I didn’t find one and I am now looking forward to my next review.

You can listen to “Oh My”, from this album in our Music Player