Mermaidens - Album Review: Perfect Body
It was never going to be possible for a band called Mermaidens to slip under my radar. I
spotted these three with their fanciful, quirky but supper cool band name one
day as I was scrolling through Facebook as you do. First thing which grabbed me was the name,
second was the psychedelic blue and orange album cover which drew me in like a
magpie and third they have been described as “dream-psych”. If you wave a combination like that in front
of me, I will hitting Google faster than you can say Satsuma.
So fate eventually stepped in two days after this supremely rad band from Wellington had entered my orbit, and asked that Mermaidens new sophomore album Perfect Body be reviewed. So choosing not to ignore fate I did.
A Satsuma can be a distinct type of juicy sweet mandarin, colour the vinyl of this album has been released in, or the name of track number six, in this case it is all three and because I am in love with the coloured vinyl trend right now, I am positively drooling over glowing bright orange in Satsuma colour.
The trio of Mermaidens are made up of Gussie on Guitar and vocals, Lily bass and vocals and Abe on drums, together they create haunting raw and original music. Moody, dark, soulful, trippy, Punk Rock with hints of Heather Nova. They seem to be gaining quite a following
There is a quote from the band I found which is the perfect description of how the enticing lyrics came to be. “While writing the album Lily and I had both been thinking and talking about pleasure and pressure. By that I mean then contrast of being in a blissful state, but with an underlying anxiety or uncertainty being present too.” You can hear the blissful state transitioning into intense diverse vocals and hypnotic harsh and vigorous instrumentals. It is in fact a formidable formula the Mermaidens have come across; it is executed with originality, style and a good dose of allure.
Perfect Body is a multileveled rich tapestry of sounds which has also been described as dreamy. I think it is a collection of personal lyrics delivered by a beautifully creative and abstract method.
So if you love vibrant original music and pure genius band names, then don’t casually stroll past Perfect Body, pick it up with both hands and run with it. It is totally worth it.
About Mermaidens
Together, childhood friends Gussie Larkin (guitar/co-lead vocals), Lily West (bass/co-lead vocals) and Abe Hollingsworth (drums) form a powerful trinity of unwavering creativity and relentless work ethic. Their time together as Mermaidens has been a fruitful one; a timeline consisting of three critically acclaimed albums, releasing music on the iconic indie label Flying Nun Records, and a wide range of live supports that include Sleater Kinney, Death Cab for Cutie, Lorde, Mac DeMarco and The Veils.
The band kicked 2021 off with a bang, announcing a nationwide tour and releasing the slow-burning anthem Soft Energy – the video for which was exclusively premiered by Ensemble magazine. The single and tour come off the back of a 12-month period that saw the band host their first ever Mermgrown festival (to a sold out crowd, no less) and gain a nomination for Best Alternative Artist at the Aotearoa Music Awards. In addition to this, West took home the Aotearoa Music Award for Best Album Art (Look Me In The Eyes).
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Mermaidens
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