I’ve had my eye on the indie rock outfit Momma for about two years at this point. Consisting of two frontwomen, Los Angeles locals Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten, the band was conceived when the pair bonded over a shared enjoyment of Alex G. The two became fast friends and started working together when Weingarten needed a guitarist for the project that would become Momma. Their first studio album, “Interloper,” was released in 2018. The duo’s vocals complement each other exquisitely, and when combined with the unembellished instrumentals, create a mellow and forlorn soundscape perfectly encapsulating the atmosphere of not quite belonging. The album reflects the influence that Alex G had on the members, full of poem-adjacent lyricism such as, “You will not fulfill me / Pour me up and you are planning just to spill me / Falling in the deep, and you don’t thrill me,” which are reminiscent of early SoundCloud-era Alex G. My picks off of “Interloper” are “Capable Type” and “Belong on the Bed,” with the caveat that the album will have greater appeal to fans of stripped-down indie music.
After their initial release, the band grew to include permanent drummer Zach Fenton and bassist Aron Ritch — who has produced all Momma releases so far. In the two years between “Interloper” and the band’s second album, “Two of Me,” the members were split up as they all attended college in different states. “Two of Me” is stylistically very similar to “Interloper,” similarly melancholy albeit more fleshed out. During this period Freidman and Weingarten shifted away from layering vocals, opting rather to emphasize one of their distinct voices each song. My favorite tracks from “Two of Me” are “Stringers” and “Not a Runner,” with the same caveat as for “Interloper.”
If Alex G was the muse of the first two Momma albums, 90s alt-rock bands like Pavement and The Smashing Pumpkins were the muses of Momma’s most recent album, “Household Name.” “Household Name” explores themes of fame, longing, and general laments about the music industry through tracks such as “No Stage,” “Motorbike,” and “Medicine.” Household Name is easily Momma’s most refined work so far, distinguishable from the rest of their catalog due to its punchier guitars, more concrete drums, and even further distinction between the vocal stylings of Friedman and Weingarten; it truly feels like Momma has found their stride as a band with this album. “Household Name” also defines a slight shift from the more ethereal, poetic lyricism that defined “Interloper” and “Two of Me,” to a slightly more digestible style with lines like, “We’re faster getting nowhere / Baby we could go there.” However, the witty writing is not sacrificed in its entirety with lyrics like “Am I a vessel with no bill? / A pleasure center siphoning your fill / The appraiser knows the price”. It is notable that while “Household Name” was being worked on, all the members of Momma had reunited after graduating college and now, residing in New York City, were able to work on the album with greater consistency than was the case with “Two of Me”. This is reflected heavily in the album which has a significantly more cohesive soundscape. My favorite tracks off “Household Name” are “Medicine,” “Tall Home,” and “Motorbike,” and I recommend that everyone listens to it, with no caveats. “Household Name” is easily Momma’s strongest work so far and is my personal favorite album.
Momma will next be on tour supporting beabadoobee in Europe in November. They have toured with a number of notable artists like Death Cab For Cutie, Weezer, and Modest Mouse.
