Last weekend I took a chance on the new Daniel
Romano album despite some reviews that gave me pause and my last foray into his
catalogue (2017’s “Modern Pressure”) being less than successful.
Romano’s new album, “Finally Free” didn’t even
get so far as to earn a review. It is a bloated, self-indulgent mess from
beginning to end. Since my requisite three listens would have been two more
than I can stomach (three if I could go back in time) I will be free of “Finally
Free” the next chance I get to sell it back to the record store. No I won't be reviewing it - you're welcome.
The funny thing is the only reason I took a
chance on the album was because we were going to see Romano in concert next
month. This album disappointed us so much we've decided not to go.
Like “Finally Free” I bought this next album
in anticipation of going to their show and wanting to be familiar with their
new material. The review of that album – and the show we saw last night – are both
below. It is a much happier tale.
Disc 1222 is… Dance and Cry
Artist:
Mother Mother
Year of Release: 2018
What’s up with the
Cover?
While this album is called “Dance and Cry” both people on the cover have opted
for dancing. Good choice! Then again, we can’t see their faces so it is
possible they are also crying, but I hope not – crying will just restrict their
lungs and negatively impact their dancing.
How I Came To Know
It: I’ve
been a Mother Mother fan for a while now so this was just me buying their new
album when it came out. Plus, I was excited at the upcoming live show.
How It Stacks Up: I have five Mother Mother albums. Of the five,
I put “Dance and Cry” in at third spot, bumping both “No Culture” and “Eureka”
down a spot.
Ratings: 3 stars
Some bands just now how to write a pop hook, and
Mother Mother is one of them. On “Dance and Cry” they take a similar anthem pop-rock
approach as on “No Culture,” but has rounded out the edges and provided a
slightly better record in the process.
“No Culture” was lead singer and writer Ryan
Guldemond’s “getting sober” album and “Dance and Cry” features many of the same
themes, and while the celebration of getting his life back is just as palpable
there is a less manic quality to the work as a whole that gives it a more
organic feel.
The party atmosphere still takes center stage
and even on songs that explore depression like “So Down” there is a core of celebration in the melody that
convinces you that everything is going to be OK. On the more upbeat songs like “Get Up” you get wolf howls and rapid-fire
lyrics, plus a hook that would drive you to dance in a bank lineup. Even “Get Up” has its elements of doubt and
this is the charm of Mother Mother; they realize that when you feel good, there
will still be some nagging doubt, and when you’re down there will always be a
core of optimism.
My favourite tracks are “It’s Alright” and “Bottom Is
a Rock,” both of which have this same dichotomy built into them. “It’s Alright” is a reminder to anyone
who has suffered from bad judgment or maybe just a little non-specific anxiety.
Guldemond sings about a bad day filled with perceived mistakes, before the
angelic voices of Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parker respond with a verse reminding
him:
“It’s
alright, it’s OK
You’re
not a monster
Just a
human
And you’ve
made a few mistakes.”
Molly Jasmin are critical to the band’s sound,
giving songs texture and light with bright vocals that ride the song like a
wave, sometimes matching and reinforcing Ryan’s delivery, and sometimes playing
foil against it.
On “Bottom
is a Rock” Guldemond observes that sometimes you are going to fall, and sometimes
that fall is going to be something we need to rise up again. It is a
fist-pumper of a sing-along party song, with a back-eddy message reminding us
that even after you hit rock bottom there might be a few bounces still in you.
The music has solid guitar licks, but this is
not guitar rock by any stretch – this is mainstream pop, given gravitas with
thoughtful lyrics and arrangements. All three singers are talented but a big
part of what makes the band so enduring is their ability to write solid hooks
and build both lyrics and arrangements around those hooks that keep your ear
interested even on repeat listens.
In their early years Mother Mother was a lot
more raw in their song construction. “Dance and Cry” feels very polished by
comparison, but this is not a detriment. Because while there is a lot of complexity
and production going on the music never loses its jump and joyful energy.
Best tracks: Get Up, So Down, It’s Alright, Only Love, Bottom is
a Rock
The Concert – Monday, January 28, Save-On Foods Memorial
Arena, Victoria BC
Sheila wasn’t feeling one hundred percent and
I wasn’t sure we were going to make it out last night, but I’m glad we did
because once again Mother Mother did not disappoint.
We last saw them almost two years ago at the
Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena and I was looking forward to the better experience
– both visually and acoustically – offered by Victoria’s historic Royal
Theatre.
Said the Whale
The opening act was Said the Whale, a fellow
Vancouver band with a very similar sound that complemented Mother Mother well.
They had two vocalists with different styles (one a bit more indie folk, the
other on the pop side) who took turns at the mic.
In addition to warming up the crowd, Said the
Whale ticked all the boxes for an opening act. They praised the headliner, they
said their own name clearly at a time when there wasn’t too many shrieks
drowning them out, and they shilled for their new record (even waving a copy around
on stage, which I liked).
Said the Whale had some pretty solid tracks,
and I recognized a few from trying to familiarize myself with the tunes in the
lead up to the concert, but ultimately I decided against adding any of their
albums to my collection, at least for now.
There was also a lot of genuine love between
the band and Mother Mother, with many hugs and expressions of mutual
appreciation.
Mother Mother
Mother Mother took the stage with a commanding
presence following an intermission that felt overlong but was worth the wait.
They had a pretty great light show, which was some combination of spooky forest
and disco dance party. It set a good mood even when it was flashing in my eyes,
which was often.
Mother Mother in concert has an incredible
energy. Ryan Guldemond is a natural front man, and he is flanked on either side
by the aforementioned Molly and Jasmin, both of whom are fully comfortable in
the lights.
This is particularly true of Jasmin Parkin,
who whirls around like a dervish and has dozens of dance moves, each groovier
than the next. Molly isn’t as accomplished as a dancer, but she did steal the
show when she sang a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.”
Bonus points for singing a song that Radiohead are too stuffed up to play
themselves. It is a great song, Thom – play it!
In concert, Mother Mother is a lot more rock
focused, with the guitar heavier in the mix and a lot of tasteful soloing. For
all that, they make sure that even when they dress up their old songs in
heavier production, they keep it true to the original melody and heart of the
tune. Everything is recognizable, if a bit more bombastic.
The setlist was a fine selection of about half
the new album getting played, plus a bunch of old standards including a few of
my favourites, including “Ghosting”
and “Hay Loft.”
At one point someone in the audience shouted
for “Hay Loft” a second time to which
Guldemond replied with “we already played
it” and then noted that in every audience “there’s always a Hay Loft guy”. Sad, but true.
The audience was generally well behaved and came
in on just the right side of boisterous – exuberant and energetic without becoming
aggressive. They were even dressed pretty well, and I spotted more than a few
parents taking their teens to the show.
My only disappointment was that during slow
and quiet songs (Jasmin Parkin’s stripped down delivery of “Biting on a Rose” comes to mind) there
were too many shouts and cheers. Shouts and cheers are for up tempo rock songs –
when someone is getting quiet and poignant, have the courage to go there with
them.
Overall, another great Mother Mother show at a
venue that had great sound, a good crowd and a band with plenty of presence and
talent.
No comments:
Post a Comment