The second you look at From Baser Element's cover, you will become biased. The pencil sketch of an open palm surrounded by cryptic lettering (with a lonesome equation on the far right side) screams pretension, largely because anyone with a secondhand knowledge of Photoshop could have whipped up a more creative product within minutes. With all the red lights blaring, you can understand why I immediately assumed M-Lab to be a throwaway Christian rock band. As it turns out, I wasn't too far off the mark.
Imagine, if you will, an overly competent church band with a knack for horribly produced prog-rock: That's my impulse description of M-Lab's sound. I draw the comparison partly because of the blatantly triumphant passages, and partly because of the cheesy electric-keyboard-imitating-a-grand-piano sound. The vocals of Drew Brody are the only aspect here noticeably removed from the Christian rock setting. Instead of praising the lord, Brody takes a cue from any given 14 year olds troubled diary, with lines like: "I give/ You take/ You take everything/ Cause I feel it/ Believe me/ You'll feel this shit soon baby." Do I smell domestic abuse?
In the same song, we get a taste of Twøn's Seinfeld-esque slap bass passages, ripped straight from an '80s instructional video. Elsewhere, Skye Steele shreds on his electric violin and Mike White bangs on his drums etc., etc. You can probably figure out the rest from there. It all adds up to a lackluster display of what some would call an 'operatic rock' album: one that takes every chance it gets to show you how mind blowing and grandiose it is.
Having one of the most horrific promo blurbs in existence certainly doesn't help M-Lab's cause, either. It will suffice to say that keyboardist Derek Gregor is compared to Bach, Brahams, and a sorcerer in one breath, while the band is said to be redefining the New York rock scene in another. That's quite a lot to live up to. As you've probably guessed, M-Lab doesn't come close.
1. Cityscape
2. All the Same
3. Angelina
4. Lover, Lay Your Lies On Me
5. Tompkins Square
6. Free Now
7. Last Train
8. Better Company
9. Talking To Myself
10. Water's Edge
11. To Be There
12. Begin Again
More about: M-Lab
