Look Mexico – Uniola

On the surface, Look Mexico has enjoyed a lengthy but modest career.  Having only released three LP’s during their twelve year history – including their latest, Uniola – one might think that the geographically transient six-piece has taken their sweet time making their mark.  But a closer look reveals a group with far more rungs on their ladder.  Look Mexico’s story is one of evolution and experimentation – the type that features a smattering of Eps as the vessel for creativity.  While the band’s core can be boiled down to elements of math-rock and fluttery, tangent-heavy indie-punk, few others could compare to the level of diversity and range of growth Look Mexico has experienced along the way.

To be exact, Look Mexico’s trajectory has always been somewhat unpredictable.  Listeners might find themselves avid fans for one release, and harsh critics for the next.  Aside from a math-rock underpinning, the only constant between releases has been change.  At times they embraced a softer, more direct style (Gasp Asp EP), whereas for others they fluttered their chords abstractly for minutes on end (This Is Animal Music LP).   For those that tend to gravitate towards the more melodic end of the spectrum, the band’s latest full length, Uniola, will sit among Look Mexico’s most accessible and immediately gratifying releases.

Constructed from a conglomeration of piano notes, stray horns, wind instruments, soft guitar chords and front man Matt Agrella’s unmistakably relaxed vocal wisp, Uniola admirably melds a career worth of ideas into a tightly envisioned aural statement.  Opener “Ride Or Die, Remember?” sets an early precedent for engagement with a very productive use of the song’s nearly six-minute runtime.  Put simply, Look Mexico has never sounded so tuneful.  The track’s briskly advancing rhythm serves as a catchy fencepost melody, with a sense of depth emanating from the accompanying spread of guitar chords.  The result is comparable to an intricate tapestry emboldened by a framework of thick stitching, containing the fine needlework of patterns and details therein.  In other words, every moment and note is purposeful towards a grander vision.

As one might expect, balance is key in ensuring that grand visions don’t trump thoughtful details.  For example, “Well, Kansas Ain’t What It Used To Be” serves as an early example of Look Mexico at their most melodic.  Big, sweeping vocal arcs perch on gentle but firm guitar twinkles, making for a chorus that’s as easy to sing along with as it is to notice the intricacies.  The same can be said of the guiding melody laced throughout “You’re Lucky You Didn’t Lose Your Arm,” which introduces a heightened dream-like state to various instrumental bridges.  Notable math-rock inspired drum-work on tracks like “I Even Got This Scar to Match” really starts the toes tapping and head bobbing to the rhythmic time signatures (with notable likeness to contemporaries TTNG).  Meanwhile, the steady warmth of tracks like “Next Time, Send A Limo,” communicates and invites comparison to indie-rock staples like Minus The Bear.  To Look Mexico’s benefit, Uniola certainly aligns itself with indie-rock, and the results lead to beautifully executed music that makes technically complex cascades and meandering spoken-word monologues (i.e. “Oh Ok, I’ll turn Down The Music”), deep and accessible.

I have to admit, I was quite cautious not to impose too many expectations leading up to my initial listen of Uniola – especially considering a five year gap between releases.  But as the album soon suggests, sometimes a little time off can sharpen the mind.  Look Mexico has never been one to fall in with simple indie-pop, but Uniola is easily Look Mexico’s most accessible effort to date, and should be appreciable by an even more mainstream crowd without alienating longtime fans.  That Uniola presents as such an easy listen despite a multiplicity of talent and complexity of approach, is a testament to Look Mexico’s unwavering commitment and career vision.  Easily one of the band’s most enjoyable and focused outputs.