Mothers new album, “When You Walk A Long Distance When You Are Tired,” is the musical equivalent of sliding an ice pick in between your eyes a centimeter at a time until your frontal lobe is gently pierced…in a good way. The Athens, GA based band has compiled a track list that transcends the normal indie rock fluff so many bands are trying to slip by their audiences with fancy instrumentations and tricked-out computer enhanced tunes. Mothers takes their fans on a poetic journey through heartbreak and loss with a focus on cerebral music and it is as pleasant a listen as it is despairing.
Front woman Kristine Leschper showcases a piercing vocal range that blends a quiet strength with a swooning plaintive cry. One is reminded of a Shirley Manson/Dolores Claiborne-esque approach as Leschper leads her four piece band through their myriad of songs with such command and precision that it would be difficult to imagine anyone else even attempting these tracks.
Mothers (credit Kristin Karch)
But the true creative forté of Mothers’ songs lies in the lyrical prose. Lines like, “We lived unloved in unmade beds,” and “I’ve imagined you one hundred pennies under my tongue,” conjure a spatial and tangible imagery that draws you into the band’s songs and make you feel as though you are being gently led by the hand into Mothers haunted world. It is one filled with misery and self-loathing at times, transitioning into a slow awakening of understanding and acceptance as the songs move from the opening, “Too Small for Eyes” where Leschper sings of a realization that the relationship is ending, to the angry, “Hold Your Own Hand” where resentment has replaced sadness and acceptance. The album sounds so clear and close that listeners will feel as though they are in the same room with Leschper as she begs to be held with her voice dripping in sorrow.
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A darkened candle-lit room with a deep, brooding bottle of wine are the perfect accompaniments to Mothers new album. Press play and listen to all eight tracks from start to finish as the group embraces you with their poetry and carefully placed instrumentation. Through the music you will find an opportunity to relish in the fact that everyone has fallen for the wrong person but surviving it is possible. For Leschper and her band, this album is the embodiment of sweet revenge; they have bravely compiled all of that aching into a perfectly cohesive album that could launch them to the next level.
When You Walk A Long Distance When You Are Tired is due out on 2-26-16 and can be grabbed here.
Article: Hannah Soule
