Band of the Week: Mom

[July 28 - August 3]
Mom
Sounds Like: Experimental/Instrumental/Post-Rock
Drinking Buddies: The Books, Do Make Say Think, All About Max, Bell Orchestre
Synopsis: Dentronites duo striking up North Texan post-rock.
Makes You Want To...: Introspect; Smile; Walk through the park.
[Myspace]/[Blog]




One week, one band. You know the drill.
This week, the featured artist is Mom.


The heat... the heat... unbearable. I'm sure it's plenty hot in other places, but here in North Texas, the high temperature has been melting... no - wait - sweltering... Scortching? Sizzling? Baking? Torrid? I could go on, but I think you get the basic idea; North Texans have been cooking in triple digit heat consecutively for more than a week now. A good time to sun tan, certainly. But also a good time to relax inside with some sweet ice tea and some good music filling the house.


When I'm cooped up in the house, I like to think - almost daydream - of what it would be like outside if it were cooler. Instrumental music really gets my mind racing with wondrous thoughts with its fluid instrumentation and (usually) its lack of lyrics. Luckily, if I'm wanting some nice tunes, I don't have to go farther than twenty miles north of the DFW Metroplex to Denton, TX, home of a humble band soothingly named Mom.

Mom, ironically, works in the same way a mother should. This duet of Dentonites, Bruce and Joel, take hold of their guitars, cellos, violins, and/or assorted electronic equipment and soothe your soul like a baby into sweet dreams. Their songs are thoroughly textured, while keeping an air of simplicity at all times. The songs are complex without being so deep that you have to think thoroughly about all the images formed between the melodies. The songs are lilting and imaginative, and can really inspire creativity if you leave your mind open. With elements of post-rock, folk, and minimalism, Mom has a very diverse, eclectic, and always intriguing sound that will certainly have you daydreaming yourself in no time.

Mom flies their flag for their local record label, Pancakes for Mattie, run by C.J. Davis of Good Records, local record shop here in Dallas, Texas. Mom's debut album, Little Brite, is currently on sale through Good Records online, or through iTunes. They of course have a Myspace, and also have a recently created blog that they update periodically. Mom has a show in Dallas coming up soon, and will be taking a short break from recording and playing. But these aren't stay at home moms, as this duo is launching a huge tour with Voices & Organs all over the east coast. So on these hot days, when we're forced to crank up the air conditioning, let the sweet sounds of Mom soothe you into relaxation. Have a nice week, readers.