In interviews, Vancouver’s Mother Mother rarely discusses
influences besides The Pixies and The Beatles, but its sound is too
much of a cocktail to limit to a list of bands the band liked while
growing up. What is always present and undeniable in the sound is
emotional conflict.
“A lot of the heartache out there is pretty comedic, by nature,”
says lead guitarist-vocalist Ryan Guldemond over the phone, “and maybe
that’s just how I see things. That naturally works its way into the
music.”
Mother Mother has been on the road for months with Matthew Good,
finishing up this tour just before Christmas. Despite having vastly
different styles, Guldemond says the tour has formed a great
connection.
“We each like each others’ bands, and fans from both sides seem to
be intermingling well,” he says. “There’s good reception.”
Mother Mother has been receiving constant praise from iTunes as
having one of the best records of the year, sharing the stage with acts
ranging from The Killers to Final Fantasy. The band is also notorious
for its energetic performances, with Guldemond’s bandmates, Jasmin
Parkin and his sister Molly helping to create a thick wall of harmony
underneath his howls.
“It feels good to scream and yell things. It’s exciting to me, I
like that aggression,” says Guldemond passionately. It’s a challenge
not to enjoy the energy Mother Mother can fit into its songs without
compromising its discreet dynamics. These are all aspects that
Guldemond seems to have deeply considered.
“In life everyone’s just waiting for the little intermission where
they can go wait for something else,” he says. “Music is one realm I
don’t feel that as much. Time stands still. It’s a beautiful thing. So
I guess I’d hope for people to experience that.”
Mother Mother w/Matthew Good
Friday, December 4, 7:30pm
Cunard Centre, 961 Marginal Road
$30/$35, 888-311-9090, ticketpro.ca
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This article appears in Dec 3-9, 2009.