Albums

InMe - Daydream Anonymous

Laurence Ettridge 03/10/2007

Rating: 4/5

In early 2006, InMe were all but over. With Dave McPherson suffering stress and illness and the departure of bassist Joe Morgan, the future looked bleak at best for the Essex-based three piece. Now 18 months down the line and they're rising rapidly from the abyss of disintegration due to their third studio album: Daydream Anonymous.

The most notable thing that strikes me about the album is the growth of the band, having been a devoted fan since their first emergence in 2003. This growth is apparent both musically and through Dave's voice. The riffs utilised here are a long way from the grunge influenced sound of their debut, Overgrown Eden, they have a marvellous sharpness and intricacy to them. Dave's voice also shows a greater degree of maturity, Overgrown Eden saw Dave experiment with different styles of singing, which made him appear unsure of himself at times. Here on Daydream Anonymous, he has his own unique style, which oozes confidence across the whole album.

Highlights of the album include the single, I Won't Let Go, which has the catchiness for frequent radio play (“I won't let go / Never gonna let go”), if it had a less heavy musical backing of course.

There is, however, a much greater depth to this album, aside from catchy songs. In Loving Memory, for instance, lacks a chorus but still has a quality to it which has certain lines lingering in the mind after just a few listens: “She was such a graceful creature/ She was such a worthy teacher”. The centre-piece of this album comes in the form of the title track, Daydream Anonymous, a slower song, completely beautiful accompanied by the softness of Dave's vocals.

Thanks For Leaving Me, is a particularly significant track. On top of the stresses of illness and the loss of Joe Morgan, McPherson suffered further heartache last year through splitting with his long-term girlfriend during a low point for InMe. Thanks For Leaving Me, another soft song, comes across as a direct reference to this, but also as a message that any damage done to the band has been for the best, as it has produced this wonderful set of songs. What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger never seemed a truer statement.

The only criticism of this album is that it may be over polished and lacks the rawness of their debut, which, for many fans, was the original attraction. However, from InMe's perspective this can not be seen as a bad thing. Given the state of the band last year, they would have never continued by churning out material to adhere to their original audience. Growth was InMe's only route to survival, and based on this album, they appear to be well on the way. Or as Dave McPherson put it at a recent gig of their's which I attended: “InMe are back, baby!”.