Kevin Max - Stereotype Be

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Music reviews of Stereotype Be

Music Review: "Like a cherub left to gather moss"
Rating: 5 Stars

I wasn't sure what to expect when I popped "Stereotype Be" into my CD player. I try not to create expectations on an artist until I have heard their work. What followed with Kevin Max was a terrific music experience--one of the best that I've had in a long time. From his unique tenor voice and wild vibrato, to the lyrics that were nothing short of poetry, to the often bizarre but always intriguing experiments that Max tackles musically, "Stereotype Be" creates a musical experience that is refreshing and groundbreaking. If more musicians pushed musical boundaries and raised the bar the way Max does with this CD, I'd listen to the radio more often.

Max's voice is unlike anything I have ever heard, and perfect for the strange music that he presents here. His voice is a difficult one to describe; it's an odd mix of U2's Bono, John Lennon, and a spring going, "Booooooiiiiing." He's got a wide vibrato that often sounds like it is spinning out of control, yet he somehow manages to stay in control at all times. Truly, it's one of the most defined, original music voices I've ever heard, and I can think of no other description for it. It can only be heard to be understood better.

Musically, Max has a very provocative work here. He seems to blend a little bit of every genre, so that his music is impossible to define clearly. From Middle Eastern chants and bellows ("Return of the Singer," "Existence," "Dead End Moon") to European rock that sounds like the best of John Lennon ("On and On," "Shaping Spaces"), to rap, ballads ("Be"), and edgy declarations (Max clearly pokes fun at the media's perception of celebrities in "Deconstructing Venus"), Max spins an enticing web of different genres and styles to create a musical experience that stands on its own. Some of the reviews here have complained that he sounds a little too much like U2 and others. Granted, I can see the comparison, and certainly the likes of U2, The Beetles, and Peter Gabriel are influences on Max. However, I found that he was able to take those influences and blend them and combine them in a style and sound that is uniquely his own. Max spends most of the time cramming so many different influences into the same song that the listener is only reminded of the greatness of these other musical pioneers and Max's utilization of their styles instead of being distracted by a comparison that screams, "Rip off!". By now, I have listened to the album multiple times, and I am still amazed by all of the musical styles from all over the world that Max throws into each song. There is always some new style happening, whether it be Max murmuring words in the background behind the music or some interesting fusion of American, European, and Middle Eastern sounds. At the same time, however, no song on the album seems so overwhelmed with detail that it becomes too busy to enjoy.

If that is not enough, Max's lyrics are constantly beautiful, ranging from haunting to soulful to uplifting to just plain weird. Jim Morrison once said that he became a musician because he refused to be a starving poet; the same could be said for Max. His lyrics are poignant and subtle, drawing up some striking images (do images get more powerful and thought-provoking than "Like a cherub left to gather moss?"). I think that the lyrics are key to understanding what Max is trying to do here with his work, as they seem to take us on a journey of Max's own self-discovery, from a searching soul to bad life experiences to finally lessons learned and confidence in his identity. On the other hand, the lyrics for most of the songs are intentionally subtle and up for interpretation. Certainly, overcoming stereotypes is a theme (hence the title), as is his undying devotion for his significant other, in love songs that kick the pants off of anything you've heard on the radio in terms of originality and honesty ("You are the sunshine. I am the rain that falls in line. You are a candle. And I am your darkness. ... On and on, we dance until the song is off the radio.").

To put it bluntly, I am blindsided by the genius of this album, and the musical boundaries that it pushes. I haven't heard anything like it, before or since, and I find it difficult to categorize Max's work into a specific genre. I do find it odd, however, that most places I have looked have labeled it "gospel" music. Certainly, there are some gospel influences here, but a closer match would be experimental music, or world music, or even new-age music. After a bit of research, I learn that Max is of the Christian faith, but his music is so diverse and original, and his lyrics so broad and subtle, I would certainly not label his music "Christian." There are influences from different beliefs and religions from all over the world here, from Judea/Christian to more Middle Eastern and Asian philosophies. There is a beautiful hidden track which is a proclamation to God, but the song conjures up so many images and musical styles from all over the world, I would say that the song is a celebration of faith in general. Max admits this idea himself: After searching around on the internet, I found that he told the New York Times Upfront Magazine, "My music is for a Buddhist to pick up and still enjoy, for an atheist But it is there to prod and ask some questions: What's my worldview? What do I believe in, and why do I believe it?" Certainly his music succeeds in this goal, though it seems that his religious position has unfairly spiraled his amazing talent down into obscurity and has tragically "stereotyped" his work into a genre that he clearly has no business being categorized in. Perhaps this is a good thing--I would rather be an artist with a small but loyal group of fans who truly appreciate my music than have a gigantic, temporary following that moves from one popular music style to the next. As it stands, "Stereotype Be" is a powerful example of music making at its most original, and I am glad that my musical Mecca led me to Max's CD.

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