Nostalgia (Hol)

Nostalgia, the title of Mother Mother's 10th album, is set to be released in celebration of our 20th anniversary. This title is fitting not only because of the timing, but also because the content of the album; it truly embodies the fundamental spirit of our band. Sonically, this record offers more while having less; it breathes with big dynamics and moves away from the over compressed, modern wall-of-sound approach. It is an indie record, yet methodically crafted. Musically, it is unconventional, eclectic, and quirky. Lyrically, these songs touch on all the classic Mother Mother themes: alienation, existentialism, self-love, self-hate, gender roles, and spirituality, all set against vibrant imagery of otherworldly landscapes and mythical creatures. Notably, the Unicorn serves as the album's mascot and defining image. This also marks the first time since 2011's Eureka an animal is featured on a cover, symbolizing a return to our roots, not just musically but aesthetically. Just like nostalgia itself, as we reflect back through time, our memories morph into exaggerated and hyperbolized textures, shapes, and feelings. These new songs reflect the sound of early Mother Mother, filtered through 20 years of experience. Writing songs over an extended period in an incredibly challenging industry often leads bands to unintentionally drift into a creative space driven by external pressures rather than personal expression. While this approach can sometimes result in success-such as creating a hit song or achieving specific metrics-it often becomes clear in retrospect that the best songs and albums are those that are free from the pursuit of following trends. Authenticity, which allows the unique essence of the artist to shine through in their work, creates the most meaningful art. This is why an artist's earlier work often feels more genuine: it simply is. For Nostalgia, we aimed to capture that energy-the childlike, naïve, innocent creativity that can be difficult to grasp when you've grown older and accumulated so much knowledge. To achieve this, we relied on a simple template: our feelings. We asked ourselves how each decision made us feel. How did the chords resonate with us? What emotions did this lyric evoke? What impact did the guitar sound, snare drum, mic placement, and reverb length have? If it didn't stir our souls, create goosebumps, or evoke laughter, tears, anger, elation, sadness, awe, wonder, or a sense of... nostalgia, we would move on to something else. By strictly applying this method, the decisions we made from the right place accumulated to create something we love and are proud of-and we truly are.