Review | Mother Mother – Grief Chapter

Label: Warner Music Canada

Mother Mother’s new album ‘Grief Chapter’ explores the theme of complex emotional trials. Every song leads you on a journey, from the pure and raw expression of hopelessness, to a slowly progressing acceptance, a rejection of toxic ideals, and a final feeling of freedom and independence. The opening track ‘Nobody Escapes’ feels like a heart-wrenching lament, a cry piercing through the veil of darkness. From this, that cry evolves into a shout, a rejection of the toxic ideals of society. This is shown through tracks like ‘The Matrix’, ‘Normalise’, and ‘God’s Plan’, where the ‘norm’ is cursed and thrown to the ground and the freedom of unfiltered expression is championed. The album is quick to end in an energetic dismissal of the outside opinion and self individuality is loudly expressed in earnest. 

Mother Mother’s unique indie-sprinkled-with-country sound is still as prevalent in this album as it had been in the others prior. The heavy guitar riffs and slamming beats compliment and mirror every scream, cry and rant. For those wondering if Mother Mother were soon to genre hop or transgress into more heavy sounds, will either be sorely disappointed or relieved, as their authentic sound remains as prevalent as ever. Mother Mother’s unique combination of male and female vocals balance and harmonise each track, where each vocal expression is amplified to its strongest in an echoing, emotional harmony.

Their message of self acceptance, the rejection of ‘normal’ society, the importance of mental health, and the challenging of gender norms are still expressed as strongly as they ever had been expressed in prior tracks and albums, and it seems the band aren’t letting up just yet. Tracks like ‘Normalise’ and ‘The Matrix’ butt heads with those ideals directly, where the aggressive rejection of the input and opinions of others are fought with, and are shown to cause a strong emotional reaction. In ‘God’s Plan’ specifically, these opinions echo in the background, battling with main vocals, attempting to drown them out. Eventually, those opinions are drowned out with a loud ‘Lalalalala’, finally silencing them.

Mother Mother have evolved but not changed from their sudden hit album ‘O My Heart’, as the authenticity of their guitar riffs, vocals, and beats are still reminiscent of those songs released over 10 years ago. The integrity of this band has stayed and fought strong over all these years, along with them, the messages in these albums and tracks have still stayed strong and are as relevant as ever. The sight is refreshing to see, how Mother Mother have not lost their voice to time, and in fact, have been preserved in it. Mother Mother have always naturally called to the rejects of society, the individuals fighting against the grain, the ones that don’t fit into the constant moving machine of humanity. They have always stayed as a stable home for these people, a way for the frustrations of the society that does not serve them to be shouted loud and clear, and Mother Mother has served us well yet again.