ALBUM REVIEW: Make Team Presents Maxim Mental In Maximalism – Maxim Mental

Taking up the moniker of MAXIM MENTAL, Max Bemis unveils his new solo album Make Team Presents Maxim Mental In Maximalism. This latest album from the SAY ANYTHING frontman is an honest, retrospective view of life and struggling with mental health issues.

The opening track Evermore (And The Grammy Goes To) feels like a hazy woozy slightly whimsical track, although the lyrics are a lot darker and more pained. It latches right onto the ultimately darker undertone of the album which is quite a mood shift from the music itself. Then there is another shift in track two, Sunk ‘Im, which starts as a spoken word piece until the chorus comes in and the instruments come in aside from the electronic parts playing from the start. The guitar part is punchy and the drums feel a little laid back and keep the song from being too hectic. The vocals are strained in parts and it feels like there’s real emotion there.

Girls The Truth is more of a traditional song about romance and relationships. It feels more indie-pop than the other songs so far. Unfortunately, this song seems to rely on a lot of autotune and electronic input than actual instrumentation and feels like it lacks substance a little. It’s a fun track for sure but it doesn’t really stand out or make an impact.

Grace Beyond Christ picks back up with a really chilled-out feel. Bemis’ vocals on this one are the main focus and they’re really good on this track, all at once sounding desperate and strained but also relaxed and carefree. He really shows off his range and it works really well with the more techno approach he’s gone with for this certain song. At five minutes long, this track is really immersive and it is truly an experience. Jay Were A Jew follows and keeps with the more chilled-out feel, which is a good move on Bemis’ part as these more relaxed ones are great. This one in particular has a minimalist feel to the instruments like they’re not trying to be overly complex, which they’re not and so this really works well. The introduction of the female voice is a welcome addition as it adds another layer to this song and just gives it a little bit more edge.

Cirque Le Douche feels very tongue in cheek. It’s like it shouldn’t be taken seriously but it’s still a good song and so it can’t be ignored. It’s fun, that’s what this track is all about really and it’s good to see a musician just having fun with a track and sticking it on the album just to surprise the audience. It kind of juxtaposes as it plays which is strange but still works. Jawbreaker is interesting because it’s got an almost entirely acoustic chorus which is different from the rest of the album. It’s cool to hear and it stops the song from being too tech-heavy. It is a reminder that this guy does know what he’s doing when it comes to actually playing an instrument. Mime is pretty mellow. It’s a little more minimal, using more acoustic guitar again which really slows down the album and gives it a little more breathing space. Unfortunately, there’s not much else to this track. It’s very much what we’ve already heard on the album before it.

Mental Music is the second to last track and it certainly makes a change; it tackles mental illness head-on in a rap which was not expected. It offers some variety for sure and it feels kind of messy which may well have been the whole point of this track considering the subject matter. It’s almost as if the lyrics are pouring out uncontrollably which really works here. Finally, the album closes on Simple Sweet. Starting off with simple piano, this track feels instantly more personal and actually a little heartfelt which the album seems devoid of until this point. Bemis really offers a sense of retrospect in this track as there’s a lot of self-criticism and his vocals soar and fall in certain parts. Unfortunately, the rapping is back just before the halfway point and that drags the track down a little. Then it shifts back to what it was but then we get a core rock section. It’s almost as if he was trying to create some sort of homage to Bohemian Rhapsody but it just feels like a mess.

This album is an acquired taste. It has some strong points but it also has quite a few flaws that are difficult to ignore. Overall it’s underwhelming but it’s still a good effort and it’s clear that Bemis had creative control and made the album he wanted rather than what the masses wanted and no one can blame him for that.

Rating: 6/10

Make Team Presents Maxim Mental In Maximalism is set for release on July 8th via Dine Alone Records.

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