Song Review: Mother Mother's "O My Heart"

A Seattle friend slipped me this c.d. over the winter break, telling me he'd seen them play in New York and was blown away by their musicianship and killer harmonies. Mother Mother's brand of rock defies immediate comparison: it is some of the most aggressive, in your face powerpop I have ever heard. Perhaps they sound a bit like Queen would if they sang about Harley Davidsons instead of bicycles.

"O My Heart" is the strongest track on the album, tells the story of someone trying to throw their heart out but having it keep coming back in more and more hideous versions. "My heart is a fish out water and it bakes in the bad sun/ oh my heart, it's a roof in the straw in the jaw of el nino."

I love the risks Mother Mother is willing to make - extended metaphors are rare in rock music, and rarely are they done with such panache and a such a blow torch of power. A debut album from Vancouver B.C. worth checking out.

Old Man