Mamalarky spent two years working on their self-titled debut album (out via Fire Talk on November 20th). Raw and cerebral, the LP looks to a range of influences from their collective musical nerdiness. ''We might have a vocal melody that sounds like the lead steel guitar from Santo & Johnny, played over production that aims to be noisy and weird like Deerhoof or Sheer Mag, all the while steeped in the greats like Stevie Wonder or The Four Seasons,' explains Livvy. The album itself was cobbled together in a mix of DIY ways: home recordings with Livvy’s roommate Joey Oaxaca (White Reaper, Mo Dotti), singles with Daniel McNeill (White Denim) and a “final wrapping-up” with engineer Jim Vollentine (Spoon, Skating Polly). The result is an album that’s as musically fun and explorative as it is catchy and sweet. Or as Mamalarky puts it “We want to provide an experience that's exploratory and trippy, but far removed from the problematic and corny psych stereotypes carried out by all those 60s dude bands.”
In quarantine and with no tours in sight, the song has taken on a new meaning when it comes to feelings of personal and global isolation. It’s something that anyone listening can relate to. “It’s weird how one passing sentiment you put in a song can be defining to whoever’s consuming it,” Livvy adds.
Like many bands, Mamalarky’s 2020 has not gone as planned. With an already-completed LP, the quartet had been gearing up for SXSW and the possibility of more time on the road. Especially as a young band, the lack of touring makes these unprecedented circumstances feel even heavier. They have learned to adjust: they recorded the single “How to Say” while in quarantine. Michael and Livvy tracked it in one take. Next up, Livvy, Michael and Noor will all be moving to Atlanta to live together. With Dylan a 13 hour drive away in Austin, they’re hoping to not only make it easier for themselves to livestream for new fans and record more music together but to also regain the joy they felt playing video games and making up joke songs like they often would while on the road.
“I also have a lot of hope for us, though, even though we can’t tour for now,” Noor says, confidently. “People will love this album regardless.”
