The Canadian five-piece are welcomed to their first performance in Wales by a sold-out crowd at the Great Hall at Cardiff Student’s Union. But there’s no time for self-adulation: “This isn’t about us, this is about you” says lead vocalist Ryan Guldemond, “We aim to serve”. And serve they did, with a virtuosic two-hour set that left the entire audience spellbound.
By this point, Mother Mother are a well-oiled machine; eye-watering guitar licks are played with impeccable ease and each member of the band are absolute masters of their craft with no room for mistakes. Formed in British Columbia in 2005 by siblings Ryan and Molly Guldemond, the band shot to worldwide fame in 2020 after tracks from their first two albums Touch Up (2007) and O My Heart (2008) went viral. And for good reason, too: these albums, in my opinion, feature some of the most consistently great track lists of all time.
Folk-rock-indie-alternative instrumentals are combined with razor-sharp lyrics and clashing harmonies from the Guldemond siblings and Jasmin Parkin, creating a sound that is so unique and instantly catchy that there is no reason for the band to not find viral fame.
Opening with the popular “Arms Tonite”, a darkly jaunty love song, and “Hayloft II”, the unexpected sequel to their most popular track “Hayloft”, the energy in the crowd was unlike anything I’d seen before in the Great Hall. This was propelled by the excellent use of lighting throughout, which complimented each song to no end.
A standout in this regard was during the folk-rock nightmare “Problems”, in which its manic guitar and screaming vocals were matched perfectly to a blaring light show. The band quickly proved that a stripped-back, minimalist performance could provide just as much vivacity, however, with a medley of acoustic tracks that called attention to both their vocal ability and Guldemond’s technical prowess on guitar.
Other highlights included a dynamic performance of “The Stand”, a sarcastic ode to misanthropy contrasted by stunning backing vocals from Molly Guldemond and Jasmine Parkin - the latter giving an absolutely jaw-dropping series of high notes during its climax.
Of course, the set would be incomplete without “Hayloft”, which was transformed midway into an impressive cover of Lana Del Ray’s “Video Games” by Parkin. It’s with performances like this that you realise how Mother Mother have managed to stand the test of time: as always, they’re unafraid to be unconventional.
After a welcome encore, Guldemond gives an insight into his writing process for the band’s latest album, Grief Chapter.
The titular track draws upon the death of the mother of one of Guldemond’s closest friends, with lines taken verbatim from conversations between the two. It’s a sensitive and compassionate piece that takes the crowd by storm.
The gig was brought to a poignant close with the folkrock ballad “Burning Pile”, a fan favourite from their sophomore album O My Heart, which, as expected, goes down a storm.
One of the most endearing things about Mother Mother is their obvious gratitude, which is shown continuously throughout the night during Guldemond’s addresses to the audience. “The Great Hall really is great!” he drawls. Hopefully, this is a sign that the band will make a speedy return to Cardiff in the future.