ALBUM REVIEW – MOTHER MOTHER – ”NOSTALGIA“
- Desh Kapur
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
Mother Mother
Nostalgia
Out Now
WORDS HARRY K
A Reflective Yet Forward-Thinking Milestone
Celebrating two decades together, Mother Mother’s tenth album, Nostalgia, feels like a thoughtful glance in the rearview mirror—while accelerating full-speed into new creative territory. There’s a whimsical, almost childlike quality running beneath the surface, but it’s paired with a sharper, more emotionally aware maturity. The band seems to be asking: What happens when you return to your roots with everything you’ve learned along the way?
Frontman Ryan Guldemond has spoken about how every element—from lyrics to production—was judged by how it made the band feel. If something didn’t strike a nerve, they moved on. That emotional filtration gives Nostalgia its undeniable depth. The arrangements are tight and purposeful, and the vocals—especially the harmonies between Ryan, Molly, and Jasmin—have a theatrical weight that’s both intimate and grand.
Standout Tracks
“Make Believe”
The opener launches with a dreamy, psychedelic shimmer—like stepping through a portal into a neon fairy tale. It’s light on its feet but lyrically loaded, exploring cosmic connections and the magic of imagination. A playful start, but with serious substance underneath.
“FINGER”
Raw, gritty, and unfiltered—this one rips open the conversation on gender dynamics and sexual expectations with zero subtlety. The guitars snarl, the vocals bite, and the attitude is turned all the way up. It's bold, defiant, and one of the most confrontational tracks in their catalog.
“ON AND ON (Song for Jasmin)”
A quieter moment, but emotionally towering. This tribute to bandmate Jasmin is not romantic—it’s something more rare: a sincere ode to friendship and shared artistic journey. Repetition becomes ritual here, building a soft, spiritual rhythm that lingers long after the track ends.
Nostalgia dives deep into the psyche, threading together heavy themes—existentialism, spiritual searching, identity, and dualities like self-love vs. self-loathing. But it doesn’t feel like a lecture. Instead, the band paints with myth and metaphor—creatures, dreamscapes, surreal imagery—so you feel these ideas rather than being told them outright.
Unlike some of their earlier maximalist records, this one breathes more. There’s space between the notes, room for reflection. Each track is polished but never sterile—there’s a live-wire tension, a sense that something strange or beautiful could erupt at any moment. It's genre-bending without feeling chaotic: alt-rock, post-glam, and synth textures all live here in harmony.
This album isn’t just a celebration of 20 years—it’s a statement of reinvention. Nostalgia manages to be both grand and grounded. It’s theatrical without losing touch. Joyful and a little tragic. Familiar yet fresh. Whether you’ve followed Mother Mother since the early days or are jumping in now, this album is a fascinating and emotionally rich experience that proves the band is still evolving—and still has a lot to say.
8 / 10
Nostalgia Tracklist:
1/ Love to Death
2/ Make Believe
3/ Station Wagon
4/ ON AND ON (Song for Jasmin)
5/ Better of Me
6/ Namaste
7/ FINGER
8/ Me & You
9/ little mistake
10/ Mano a Mano
11/ Nostalgia
12/ To Regret
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