Make It a Double

Album Review

After listening to Make It a Double in its entirety, it isn't hard to figure out how Mower came up with that title. This 2009 release spotlights two different sides of the San Diego-based outfit: their blistering alternative metal side (the side they're best known for) and the alter ego they call Slower (which has been described as their "jazzy lounge lizard side"). Of course, "make it a double" is a phrase one associates with what used to be called "cocktail lounges" and the whole dry martini/Rat Pack/lounge lizard culture of the '50s and '60s. But don't expect Slower to sound like Dean Martin crooning "On an Evening in Roma"; the Slower material on the second half of this disc is actually older Mower tunes reworked in a jazzy, lounge-ish fashion. And the interesting thing is that on both the new Mower songs one hears on the first part of the CD and the Slower tracks that come later, it's obvious that this is one angry band. Mower's metal performances (basically alt-metal with hardcore, punk, and thrash influences) are blistering, and their often sociopolitical lyrics take no prisoners. For example, "Sicko" (obviously named after filmmaker Michael Moore's excellent 2007 documentary) is a searing indictment of the United States' wretched health care system, while "The Song We Don't Speak Of" attacks religious fundamentalists of both the Al-Qaeda/Taliban variety and the Christian fundamentalist variety. The tune isn't necessarily anti-religion, but it's definitely anti-fundamentalist. Those new Mower songs are scorching both musically and lyrically, whereas the Slower tracks aren't nearly as heavy musically but underscore the band's anger nonetheless. Some headbangers may not care for the Slower offerings, but on the other hand, headbangers who are eclectic enough to appreciate a variety of music may enjoy hearing a different side of Mower—and those who do have eclectic tastes are the ones who will get the most out of this CD and find it to be an intriguing yet consistent listen.