Album Review: The Maine - 'Imaginary Numbers'

The Maine have followed up an incredibly successful release this year (which came in the form of the band's latest full length, 'Forever Halloween') with an acoustic EP titled 'Imaginary Numbers.' Rather than featuring re-workings of the band's previous material, as is the trend with acoustic EP's, the band opted to write five brand new songs, which show thegroup in a much more stripped back setting than usual, and challenges the group to show off their songwriting in a completely different way to what they usually do.

Lyrically, the EP takes a similar avenue of a lot of songs in the band's genre, and you'll no doubt hear people make the claim that lead singer John O'Callaghan is merely whining because he loves some girl that doesn't like him back. However, if you give it a chance, you'll see that the lyrics are, in fact, incredibly real, and they are an obvious reflection of whatever stage the writer was going through when writing these songs, and the result is more than just some great lyrics, it's something that is incredibly relatable as well.

Musically, the songs provide a strong framework for the lyrical material. Whether in the calm acceptance of loneliness in 'Raining in Paris,' or the lamenting throughout 'Perfectly out of Key,' or anywhere else on this EP, the beautiful soundscapes reflect almost flawlessly what the song is trying to say, making the emotional impact of the EP that much more powerful than what it already was.

Finishing with 'Lovely Sad', the almost seven-minute long track caps things off beautifully. It gives off a strange optimism in all of the sadness throughout it's lyrical content that lets you leave the five tracks with a smile on your face.

'Imaginary Numbers' is a fantastic way for The Maine to finish off what has already been a stellar year for the band. The group show that they're not just a one trick pony, and showcase themselves sucessfully in a completely different environment to what we're used to hearing from them.

1. Raining In Paris
2. Room With No Windows
3. Perfectly out of Key
4. Visions
5. Lovely Sad