Jesusfreakhideout.com: Meeting of the Mimes, "Remember Me

JFH Indie Review

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Meeting of the Mimes
Remember Me - Single

Artist Info: Discography
Street Date: June 1, 2024
Style: CCM / Neoclassical / Classical
Official Site: Facebook.com/people/Meeting-of-the-Mimes...
Buy It: AmazonMP3

Meeting of the Mimes is the musical project of Alex O'Brien, who decided to pick up the guitar after 15 years to compose songs again. Ahead of a full-length debut, O'Brien is releasing a string of singles with the latest being "Remember Me," a stirring song about loss, death, and hope for life hereafter. The track opens with a swelling string arrangement that eventually settles down to a piano as O'Brien begins the vocal track. This is a track meant to tug at the heartstrings and it accomplishes that thanks, in large part, to the musical arrangements.

Lyrically, the verses grapple with the slow loss of life and memory (it seems the subject of the song is dealing with Alzheimer's). The chorus urgently calls for the subject to remember O'Brien through the trial ahead with the ultimate hope that's coming after death. The words may not be the most poetic of expressions for the topic, but they work within the musical context established. Anyone who has dealt with the loss of a loved one through Alzheimer's, cancer, or some other malady will be able to relate to the message of "Remember Me."

The challenge with singles is that sometimes they work better within the context of an album more than they work alone. "Remember Me," by Meeting of the Mimes, is a rare exception where the track can stand on its own as a beautiful piece of art. Such a sad, stirring song may feel somewhat incongruous coming from an artist with a name like Meeting of the Mimes, but if you can get your head around that, you'll find a stirring single that gives promise to something bigger that the full-length effort can hopefully deliver.

- Review date: 6/18/24, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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Record Label: None

Album length: 1 track: 4 minutes, 53 seconds

Street Date: June 1, 2024

Buy It: Amazon Music

Remember Me (4:53)
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Jesus Freak Hideout (John Underdown): In your bio, you wrote that you were inspired to pick up the guitar after 15 years, yet with "Remember Me" at least it's mostly piano and strings. I'm curious what your wider musical background is?

Alex O'Brien: Back when I was around 7 years old, my brother wanted to play the guitar and I wanted to play the drums. My mom is a talented vocalist and my dad played the drums. They ended up getting a small drum set as well as 2 matching kid's size guitars (which I believe they inevitably knew I would want to play the guitar!) I had a short amount of classical guitar lessons. But after a while, I had listened to a few guitar players play at my church growing up and I asked how they played the songs and what chords they used. My brother had piano lessons, but as a kid, actually thought the piano wasn't a cool instrument. As I matured though, now I have a real appreciation for this instrument. The melody for this song was actually put together 20 year ago right after my Grandma past away. My family was taking care of my Grandpa who was suffering from a form of Dementia at the time and I was trying to convey or unwrap my feelings on the piano. Fast forward to March of this year. I had been experimenting with many different sounds on GarageBand and playing with real instruments such as the banjo, accordion, and bagpipes. I had always wanted to write a song with melody that I had made many years ago, but never had the courage to put lyrics to it, as not to do justice to it. I don't own a piano, so I used the GarageBand application to play a rough piano piece. I also learned a few tips from one of my friends Dillon Zaugg at my church. I put together and composed the music and lyrics for the song, and sent it my talented producer, Adam Huttington, and he made it what it is. I usually play by hear and hear the music in my head, then try to find where it lands on the fret board, keys or other medium.

What I've found though is that if you are passionate about something, and you relentlessly pursue doing it to the best of your ability, you can do basically anything! If you want to learn the piano, just starting trying! Or you want to learn the banjo, just try! You can use the internet, YouTube and as well as friends to teach and inspire you.

JFH (John): What's the background behind "Remember Me"? Is it from personal experience or written for a friend?

Alex: 20 years ago, my Grandpa passed away from a form of dementia. My Mom and my brother, as well as my aunt and my twin cousins were in essence living with my Grandpa and were caretakers. It's really hard to describe and express the emotional energy and toll dementia or Alzheimer's disease has on the individual and their loved ones. They forget basic functions and tasks, what they did that day, to eventually forgetting loved ones. One thing my Grandpa never forgot though was his wife. All the way to the day he passed. In many cases, all loved ones are eventually forgotten. What I didn't realize when I started writing this song, was that I found when I set a date for release that 5 friends and coworkers had loved ones that were actively going through dementia/Alzheimer's disease. You know, the song is meant to embody this journey we all go through is caretakers, but most importantly that there is hope at the end. If they believed in Jesus and gave their life to him, we will not only see them again, but we will see them made whole again.

JFH (John): When you face difficult times of losing someone you love in one way or another, how do you find comfort in Christ to carry on?

Alex: In this season of life, God has been telling me to joyful in all circumstances as well as think of the end means. How can I make something beautiful out of a difficult circumstance. If we get to stuck on on what we feel and how your circumstances can be better, we forget how we can make the best of it, and many circumstances, what is God using this to make me a better person or make something beautiful. Almost a year ago, my wife and I were expecting our 3rd child. For about 30 days before he was born, my wife had to be in the hospital. At first, I didn't know what was going to happen. But I never doubted that whatever God had planned was in my best interest. This time allowed me to take care of my other two boys at home and allowed me time between laundry loads (hah) to put my emotional energy to good use. I made music. I made beautiful things out of difficult times/circumstances. Like fire with gold, like pressure with diamonds, with the fire and the clay. These things refine and define us, and we can let bad things bring the best out of us.

JFH (John): What can people intrigued by "Remember Me" expect from the fuller project coming out?

Alex: At first I was writing whatever was on my heart and was wrestling with. 6 years ago I told my brother who has also been making music (Kyle O'Brien) that I would love to do a concept album, a story from life to death. Going from experiencing life for the first time, getting saved, heart break, falling in love, experiencing your kids growing up, all the way to experiencing the end of life. Ironically, I've looked back at my songs, I have accomplished many of these things without trying! So expect a concept album out tentatively titled "Odyssey". For conveying the adventure and experience of life. The reason for this is I want my kids to to be able to listen to something even when I may not be around anymore. Music is like a time capsule where I can convey many different thoughts and feelings in a way many other mediums of communication can't.

JFH (John): What are the best ways for people to support you and your music?

Alex: As Jon Foreman has said, "I didn't want to be famous, I just wanted my music to be famous". I do this as a way to give life and inspiration to others. So if people are touched by my music. Please share! If thousands of people listen to my music and it inspires them, I don't care if I make a dime. This is actually a way for me to support my friends and family emotionally. I will say that I believe that the message and delivery of this song is powerful. I adjusted the lyrics to this song for some friends that recently lost their Dad's to cancer and other conditions. It's a way to express sympathy/empathy, but most importantly share that we are living for the life that comes after this one and that there is hope. You can check for new music on Spotify and I give updates on our Facebook page and Instagram page.

JFH (John): Finally, a lighter question: Would you rather be trapped in a small car with clowns or in an invisible box with mimes?

Alex: It took me 0.02 seconds to come up with my answer! Definitely the invisible box with mimes! I don't have an irrational fear of clowns, just a rational fear of being stuck in a car with several clowns, haha.