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The Strange Love EP Tracklisting
01 Kick Me
02 Strange Love
Release Date: 01 August 2015
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Much like a film trailer that keeps your eyes glued to the screen and makes you say, “Oh, I’ve gotta see that!” MammaBear’s The Strange Love EP is a teaser; a taste of greatness yet to come. This EP consists of the first two singles from the band’s highly anticipated second album, which will be released in the Spring of 2016 and has yet to be named. This new album will add additional musicians to the brainchild of Atlanta singer and multi-instrumentalist Kyle Gordon, former frontman for Young Orchids.
Impressively, Gordon did everything himself on MammaBear’s first album, 2013’s vol. 1 “Birds of Paradise”-he wrote, produced and recorded the album, and all of the instrumentation and vocals are his alone. One of my favorite songs on this stellar album, Raven Falls, brings to mind the psychedelic sound of 1960s England. Gordon seems to channel Donovan Leitch.
The Strange Love EP was released July 29, 2015 and features Gordon’s new studio collaborators, drummer Matt Talley and bassist Kris Sampson. Kris Sampson also recorded and produced the EP. Kyle plays guitar and sings all vocal tracks, in addition to playing drums on the song Kick Me.
This EP, although only consisting of two songs, still manages to show the band’s versatility. Each song has its own style and is quite unique from the other. Also impressive is how timeless it sounds. It could have easily been released and beloved in the 60s, the 70s, the 80s, even the grunge-laden 90s; yet it also sounds fresh, new and millennial. It runs the gamut from Britpop to psychedelic Indie rock.
Track 1: Kick Me
I can get behind any song that begins with a “whoo!” It’s like “get ready, here comes the party!” Kick Me begins with a “whoo!” much like T. Rex’s 20th Century Boy begins with an “oww!” In both songs, the singer is “sounding his barbaric yawp,” letting us know he’s alive and full of energy in a way that would make Walt Whitman proud. Kyle, much like Marc Bolan, is letting us know we’re in for some serious fun.
Kick Me is one of the most cheerful breakup songs I’ve ever heard. It’s got a great sense of humor. One must watch the video to fully appreciate just how upbeat and delightfully giggle-inducing this song is: http://youtu.be/V87fHqD4ar4
I like the tinny megaphone vocal effects and layering of vocal tracks; Kyle acts as his own backup singer and the result is magnificent. His vocals range from a snappy pop delivery to a gravelly shout. The chorus hooks you, reels you in, and won’t let go. You’ve got to be crazy not to love: “you kick me when I’m down / you treat me like a clown / and our time is over.” Prepare yourself for an excellent straight-ahead rock guitar solo. There are claps at the end of the song, and rightfully so.
Track 2: Strange Love
Much of what makes this song great is its use of repetition. This repetition is omnipresent and quite effective; it pretty much only stops during the verses. Listening to the lovely, lulling guitar hook is like riding a gentle wave. The repetition of it- in its simple beauty- imprints itself on the brain. The whole song seems to undulate. The vocal echoes as if coming from outer space and close by simultaneously. The chorus is mostly a simple repeat of “I need a strange love,” alternating with “I want a rag doll,” and “am I the rag doll?” On occasion there are these fantastic breaks in the music where it slows to a crawl and then kicks back in with a suddenness that delivers a pleasant shock to the system. There is one particular break where the music very nearly stops altogether as Kyle is half speaking/half singing; a heart skipping a beat. And then the hook kicks in again. A lovely and understated guitar progression that peaks and then fades into the ether ends the song, even though you don’t want it to end. I’m hard pressed to come up with any specific song that reminds me of Strange Love. I guess the closest I could come would be (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis. Yet in so many ways, I like Strange Love better. It’s more raw and more real.
I have been told that MammaBear shines brightest when seen live. The band’s live lineup includes Kyle Gordon on guitar and vocals, Josh Longino on guitar and backing vocals, Kris Sampson on bass and Troy Wolf on drums.
This band is timeless, energetic and just plain amazing. I highly recommend you listen to them, and I think you’ll see what I mean. They are headed towards greatness at warp speed.
Impressively, Gordon did everything himself on MammaBear’s first album, 2013’s vol. 1 “Birds of Paradise”-he wrote, produced and recorded the album, and all of the instrumentation and vocals are his alone. One of my favorite songs on this stellar album, Raven Falls, brings to mind the psychedelic sound of 1960s England. Gordon seems to channel Donovan Leitch.
The Strange Love EP was released July 29, 2015 and features Gordon’s new studio collaborators, drummer Matt Talley and bassist Kris Sampson. Kris Sampson also recorded and produced the EP. Kyle plays guitar and sings all vocal tracks, in addition to playing drums on the song Kick Me.
This EP, although only consisting of two songs, still manages to show the band’s versatility. Each song has its own style and is quite unique from the other. Also impressive is how timeless it sounds. It could have easily been released and beloved in the 60s, the 70s, the 80s, even the grunge-laden 90s; yet it also sounds fresh, new and millennial. It runs the gamut from Britpop to psychedelic Indie rock.
Track 1: Kick Me
I can get behind any song that begins with a “whoo!” It’s like “get ready, here comes the party!” Kick Me begins with a “whoo!” much like T. Rex’s 20th Century Boy begins with an “oww!” In both songs, the singer is “sounding his barbaric yawp,” letting us know he’s alive and full of energy in a way that would make Walt Whitman proud. Kyle, much like Marc Bolan, is letting us know we’re in for some serious fun.
Kick Me is one of the most cheerful breakup songs I’ve ever heard. It’s got a great sense of humor. One must watch the video to fully appreciate just how upbeat and delightfully giggle-inducing this song is: http://youtu.be/V87fHqD4ar4
I like the tinny megaphone vocal effects and layering of vocal tracks; Kyle acts as his own backup singer and the result is magnificent. His vocals range from a snappy pop delivery to a gravelly shout. The chorus hooks you, reels you in, and won’t let go. You’ve got to be crazy not to love: “you kick me when I’m down / you treat me like a clown / and our time is over.” Prepare yourself for an excellent straight-ahead rock guitar solo. There are claps at the end of the song, and rightfully so.
Track 2: Strange Love
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This band is timeless, energetic and just plain amazing.
|
I have been told that MammaBear shines brightest when seen live. The band’s live lineup includes Kyle Gordon on guitar and vocals, Josh Longino on guitar and backing vocals, Kris Sampson on bass and Troy Wolf on drums.
This band is timeless, energetic and just plain amazing. I highly recommend you listen to them, and I think you’ll see what I mean. They are headed towards greatness at warp speed.
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