CD of The Week

Momma - Welcome to My Blue Sky (Polyvinyl)

While exact dates are unavailable, some basic research shows that Momma’s primary singers/songwriters/guitarists Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten were born in the late 1990s. However, the band’s sonic DNA comes from music released towards the beginning of that decade as the long shadow of Last Splash, It’s a Shame About Ray, and Exile in Guyville hovers over their fuzzy sound and achingly honest, yet slightly jaded lyrics. The revivalist tag was placed on Momma in most of the press surrounding their 2022 breakout, Household Name, and the band’s spot as openers for Weezer and Pavement expanded their audience but may have further placed their public perception in a narrow box. On their fourth release, Welcome to My Blue Sky, Momma make a conscious effort to vary their approach with a wider array of tempos and moods without sacrificing their authenticity. The result is a strong success with the vast majority of the 12 songs possessing multiple compelling elements.

For listeners who appreciated the riff-forward earworms of previous Momma albums, “I Want You (Fever),” “Rodeo,” and “Last Kiss” refine that style to excellent effect. All three songs have powerful hooks rising above a chunky layer of distortion and the lyrics about sex and heartbreak are relatable (“spinning out, every minute is too long / just lost count, of the days that you’ve been gone” opens “Rodeo”). The production (from bassist Aron Kobayashi Ritch) is more polished than previous efforts, but this suits the wider palette of material. “Bottle Blonde” is another highlight as the most overtly pop moment on the album, with some twinkly synths and mechanical drums that effectively spotlight the melody and provide a distinct contrast to some of the tricky emotional terrain of the song.

Some of the softer detours on the record are of high quality as well. Opener “Sincerely” is a dreamy, acoustic table-setter about coming to terms with a new chapter in your life while “How to Breathe” possesses shimmery reverb that fits its romantic message. Finally, the closer “My Old Street” is another intriguing departure that has more slow-burn atmosphere than any Momma track to date, opening up appealing possibilities for the band to explore on their next album.

Welcome to My Blue Sky is a great example of a pivot-point album where a band transforms from a solid composition of various influences to a great group that blazes their own distinctive path. Momma still love their 90s alt-rock, but their songcraft has gone up another level at the same time that their sonic range has expanded. Ultimately, the album is one of the best of the young year thus far.

Momma will be back in Philadelphia at Union Transfer with Wishy opening on Friday, May 30th.
Review by Sol