Some bands can be described as tireless artists who simply can’t help but create. Then, there are prolific bands containing the same restless energy, yet are also driven by the urge to share their creations with the world. Then, there is The Mommyheads, veterans of the New York City rock scene who relentlessly push themselves into new directions at a speed that can break a neck. Since the late 80s, and especially since the band reconvined in 2008 after a short stint apart, The Mommyheads have stopped at nothing to provide their cult-like fanbase with mesmerizing fusion work that only seems to become more potent as the band ages. The most miraculous element of it all, though, is the fact that The Mommyheads continue to grow and explore new sounds, adding layer after layer to their intricate rock-fusion masterpieces.
No Quietus marks album 17 for The Mommyheads, and their twelfth album since the band came back together in 08. The ten-song effort arrives almost exactly a year after the band released One Eyed Band, but looking at the band’s past to predict their future is a fool’s errand. The Mommyheads thrive on the element of surprise, keeping listeners guessing which direction this band is heading next. Thanks to the range they’ve established throughout their storied career, each new release from The Mommyheads is a sonic gift, wrapped in a colorful paper, awaiting someone to rip it open and witness the pop-tinted rock prowess of this band. No Quietus is yet another collage of influences filtered through The Mommyheads’ raw prowess and veteran recording experience. However, there is an unassuming humility to these ten songs that is warm, intimate, and inviting, creating a heartfelt tracklist that dismisses modern bells and whistles.
A stunning simplicity flows throughout The Mommyheads’ new album, although to call No Quietus a surface-level effort would be a gross misjudgment. A deeper listen reveals that, beyond mere consistency, these ten songs carry a spellbinding narrative of love, pain, and the question of whether one can exist without the other. The complex concept of No Quietus is hidden underneath the sleek production driven by twinkling guitars, but this is far from a lofty tracklist too heady to digest. The Mommyheads pack their daring creativity into honed, pop-tinted structures that allow the lyrics of No Quietus to act as a living being, traversing No Quietus in search of peace.
From the moment whirling synths bleed into the anthematic album opener, “Triumph and Crash,” The Mommyheads seamlessly capture your attention, and never let go until the final strums of the celebratory “It’s Only Life.” No Quietus is pure sonic cinema, as the band tugs and pulls at your mood with dramatic shifts, like how the psychedelic, synth-drenched “Always Reaching” transitions beautifully into the acoustic, poetic balladry of “Racecare Brain.” Even during these dramatic mood shifts, the band never loses touch with the concept driving No Quietus.
While the production is mesmerizing, like on the piano-driven, harmony-filled “Strong,” the lyrics of this LP are where the band’s singularity truly shines. The band painfully details the collision course of co-dependent relationships on “Black Veins,” becomes their worst nightmare on the haunting yet stunning “I’m Your Apocalypse,” and “Finally Free” finds The Mommyheads slowly coming to terms with the inevitability of death.
The Mommyheads have long cemented their status as indie music legends, and the daring yet rewarding No Quietus is another feather in the cap of the underappreciated band. Throughout ten head-spinning songs, the band battles with longing, raging love, and death, all while piecing together immersive arrangements that emphasize the joy and turmoil of No Quietus.
