Review
Let’s talk about ‘Touch Up’, the debut that proved Mother Mother didn’t just stumble out of the womb humming—they sprinted. This Vancouver foursome threw together thirteen tracks that sound like a garage sale of ideas that somehow ended up looking like a runway show. From the snarling opener ‘Dirty Town’ to the surf-wobble of ‘Polynesia’ and the title track’s glittery tantrum, the album careens between jagged guitars, synth squiggles, and horns that pop up like uninvited but hilarious party guests.
Ryan and Molly Guldemond’s vocals tangle like siblings fighting over the last slice of pizza—gritty versus angelic, yet weirdly perfect. Tracks such as ‘Oh Ana’ and ‘Verbatim’ alternate between sea-sick urgency and bouncy, off-kilter pop, while ‘Legs Away’ and ‘Little Hands’ feel like skipping stones across a very strange pond. Clocking in at a tight 40 minutes, ‘Touch Up’ still feels like a demo that got a fancy haircut; producer Howard Redekopp buffed the edges without ironing out the wrinkles, leaving every homemade charm intact.
Did You Notice? The horn parts in ‘Tic Toc’ sound suspiciously like a kazoo convention crashing a punk show—intentional or not, it’s the kind of detail that makes you grin every single time. - Toby
