Mae

    Mae

    Norfolk, Virginia7 reviews across 4 releases

    emoindie rockpiano rockpop punk
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    Mae formed in Norfolk, Virginia, in 2001, beginning with Dave Elkins and Jacob Marshall writing songs before expanding into a full band. Early Mae worked in polished emo-pop: Elkins' restrained singing sat over tightly arranged guitar hooks, while Rob Sweitzer's piano and synthesizers supplied much of the color. The 2003 debut Destination: Beautiful was clean to the point of sterility for one reviewer, though its precise rhythm parts and small touches such as the piano ending of "Sun" distinguished it from generic pop rock. By The Everglow in 2005, the writing had become more ambitious. The album was built as a storybook journey, with its artwork and physical presentation treated as part of the listening experience; a spoken welcome and record-scratch effects completed the illusion. Its emo-pop base remained, but the melodies grew broader and the concept shaped the whole record.

    In 2007, keyboardist Rob Sweitzer and bassist Mark Padgett left Mae after Singularity, ending the five-piece lineup associated with the band's first three albums. Elkins, Marshall, and guitarist Zach Gehring continued as a trio, releasing a song each month during 2009 while directing digital proceeds toward charitable projects. Mae announced a hiatus in 2010, then returned for anniversary tours in 2013 and 2015. The band released Multisensory Aesthetic Experience in 2018 through Tooth & Nail Records, its first full-length in a decade, and signed with Equal Vision Records in 2023. Marshall left in 2021. In 2026, Elkins was still describing work on new Mae music, with the project continuing around him and Gehring.

    4 releases reviewed