by Steve Joyce
While all serious music fans craft their ‘Album of the Year’ lists and prepare to dissect those of others, there’s a risk that this sparkling gem of an album, released in November, may get accidentally overlooked. That would be a great injustice! From the first attention-grabbing guitar chord on mood-shifting opening track “Chicken Soup”, to the glorious keyboard motifs on feel-good closing song “The Gift”, “One Eyed Band” is a vibrant and enthralling album.
This is a prolific time in New York’s The Mommyheads long history. “One Eyed Band” is their seventh release in just six years, continuing a career of over twenty studio albums since they formed in the late 1980s. Despite this period including a 10-year break, it’s a terrific achievement to sustain a career of such longevity and productivity.
Although The Mommyheads don’t seem the least bit concerned about any genre or classification, the band is often categorized as “indie pop”, and it’s true that over its 10-track, 47-minute runtime, this album delivers an impressive set of concise, catchy and radio-friendly songs. So, why a review from The Prog Report?
In their unmissable end-of-year podcast “Best Prog Albums of 2024“, TPR supremo Roie Avin sagely observes that the term ‘prog’ is sometimes used to describe records by alternative bands who add elements to their music that is a little outside of the style they’re usually known for. Examples of this might include an odd time signature, flamboyant keyboard riff or a longer song.
This is unquestionably a good thing – the broader the ‘prog’ church the better! Records at the poppier end of the spectrum can be gateways to heavier, proggier artists, and vice versa, and everyone wins.
And so it is, then, that prog fans should definitely check out “One Eyed Band” with an open mind and open ears. The tunes are infectious, with fine songwriting, playing, and production. The focus is undoubtedly on enjoyable and memorable melodies. But there are enough quirks and flourishes to set this album apart from mainstream indie pop and keep prog fans listening. There’s an odd time signature here and there and orchestral sounds add depth. Although always tasteful, there’s virtuoso playing (the whole band is on stellar form, with bass guitar and keyboards, especially, standing out) and Adam Elk’s versatile, distinctive vocals are as powerful as anything else you might hear this year.
Consistently splendid, the album’s highlights include ELO-esque strings elevating “Life Is A Dream” and a 7/8 reggae groove on “Risk It All”. “Human Being”, a stripped-back ballad, almost steals the album with its simple, exquisite beauty. “Architect”, my favorite song on the album, has some of the record’s strongest melodies and drips with menacing lyrical metaphor (‘fumbling for a light switch that sets the world on fire…’).
Prog aficionados will be delighted with “The Gift”. It’s blessed with a soaraway keyboard theme that would be completely at home on a Transatlantic album. It’s a superb way to finish a highly pleasurable and satisfying listen.
With ample use of 12-string acoustic guitar, the sonic palette of this album is fresh and interesting. There’s a sharply honed pop sensibility to the songwriting, providing a stimulating alternative to technically complex music. Overall, the sheer quality of “One Eyed Band” deserves to reach a wide audience and demands investigation into The Mommyheads’ substantial back catalog.
Now, is it too late to change my Albums of the Year list?
Track listing:
1. Chicken Soup 05:03
2. Life is a Dream 04:42
3. Season of our Sound 06:21
4. Architect 04:16
5. Human Being 03:07
6. Risk It All 04:26
7. One Eyed Band 05:00
8. Weightless and Unbound 04:55
9. Junk 04:48
10. The Gift 04:34
Personnel:
Adam Elk – vocals, guitar
Dan Fisherman – drums, vocals
Jason McNair – bass
Michael Holt – keyboards, vocals
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