My Top 40 Albums - #18

#18
Relient K - "MmHmm"

Year: 2004
Label: Capitol
Favorite songs: More Than Useless; Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet?; Maintain Consciousness, Who I Am Hates Who I've Been, Be My Escape, The Only Thing Worse Than Beating a Dead Horse is Betting on One
Lyric sample: "Make your decision and don't you dare think twice / Go with your instincts along with some bad advice / This didn't turn out the way I thought it would at all / You blame me, but some of this is still your fault / I tried to move you but you just wouldn't budge / I tried to hold your hand but you'd rather hold your grudge / I think you know what I'm getting at / You said goodbye and I just don't want you regretting that"

When I saw that I had placed this record so high on my list I thought I must be crazy. Relient K? Really? I mean, yeah, they were great when I was a sophomore in high school, but it's somewhat less amusing now. I know what good music is and chances are they don't fit the bill a lot of time. Then I started skimming down the track list and trying to pick out my favorites, and you know what? I had a tough time of it. Practically every song on this album is great. Add to that the fact that Mmhmm is tightly produced and sounds a good bit heavier than the almost overly poppy Two Lefts, and you have what is arguably Relient K's most impressive release. It still has the palm muted guitars and the recognizable pop punk drumming, but it's only punk-influenced. This is actually a pop rock album featuring plenty of piano and breakdowns along with its double time snares and crisp power chords. It still lacks the raw attack of the first record, but it benefits finely tuned bass response that lets us hear all the pieces of the musical whole.

Unlike the previous album, it isn't "funny," per se. There's no "Mood Rings" or "College Kids" here. That doesn't mean that it's without the trademark Matt Theissen wit, though. The lyrics are as punchy as the music, contributing as much to the flow of the record as any other ingredient. The lyric sample I referenced is a good example. It's full of quips, quirks and quotables. There is an emphasis on relationships, so expect a lot of the songs to address that theme from one angle or another. Some are happy ("High of 75"), some bittersweet ("My Girl's Ex Boyfriend") and some downright angry ("Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet?"). The latter song is one of Relient K's more unique efforts. What is otherwise one of the heaviest songs in their repertoire features a banjo, plucking away during the interludes. It also has Theissen basically screaming the chorus - it's something to behold for RK fans who have never heard them quite this way before.  Then some are simply sad (the somber "Let It All Out").

Aside from personal relationships, MmHmm also examines our relationships to God and to society, and our worth in the overall plan. This can be seen in "I So Hate Consequences," "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been," "More Than Useless," and "Maintain Consciousness." It's not all deep contemplations, though. There's still plenty of spontaneous fun to be had and some explosive musical ideas. The frenzied "The Only Thing Worse Than Beating a Dead Horse is Betting on One" is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it political tirade clocking in at just 1minute 13 seconds - and an album highlight as well. Compare also the energy of "Maintain Consciousness" with its blazing guitar licks during the breakdown.

I have only one significant complaint against MmHmm, and it's an unusual one. I actually think the album is too long. Normally I'm never against putting more songs on a record - might as well give the listeners more for their money. However, in this case, I feel the record has a perfect ending point at the close of "This Week the Trend." At the very end of the song, the lyric "stuck watching our lives blow up" is slowed down, and with every syllable it seems to gain momentum as more voices ad to the harmony. These high strains return to tonic and the guitar simply plays the same chord over and over until the song cuts out. In my mind, this would have been the way to end it. It's memorable, forceful, and appropriate. Instead, we then get what seems kind of a lackluster filler song "Life After Death and Taxes" and then the sprawling, unfocussed and overlong "When I Go Down," which admittedly does have some find moments. Neither of these songs is really poor, but they seem to drag out what could have been a very succinct statement. All this said, I'm sure most fans appreciate the additional material. Relient K records have traditionally had an above average song count and its tough to fault that.

I'm trying to come up with specific examples of why this is the finest pop punk album to come down the pike since forever, but all I can really recommend is that you listen. The bizarre humor has been toned down, but almost everything else that fans love about Relient K has been amped up. Should you get this album? My verdict is, most assuredly. Absolutely. Yeah-huh. Mmhmm.