The New York City-based, all-female indie trio Hello Mary came together in 2019 – they’ve been building a name for themselves the US and are currently dipping their toe in the UK live circuit. Helena Straight (guitar/vocals), Stella Wave (drums/vocals), and Mikaela Oppenheimer (bass) are amassing plenty of interest with their fuzzed-out tracks that incorporate, according to their press release, “alt-rock, shoegaze, and post-punk with a dark whimsy” – although there’s quite evidently plenty more going on. There’s more than a hint of prog adding a strong compositional element, and the band shift between genres with confidence.
Having seen them at their first UK appearance at End of the Road festival, I can attest to their reputation as a great live band. They radiate what I’d term ‘cool energy’ with Helena Straight assuming her front woman role and engaging with the crowd – the band are seemingly blown away by the – well-deserved – reaction to their sound and their energy.
Hello Mary’s second album, Emita Ox, to be released on September 13th, via Frenchkiss Records, presents a journey as enigmatic as its title suggests.
The opening track Float instantly commands attention with its statuesque opening guitar riff that gets under the skin: there’s a tension and a definite air of prog about this track – with tinges of Love – while the ethereal vocals and muscular bass coalesce to create something quite otherwordly. That’s before the track makes a sudden shift into another realm with screeching guitars and howling vocals, before coming to a very abrupt and dramatic end.
Next is 0% which was released as a single, allowing the band to be let loose on those tribal and passionate vocals. Oppenheimer’s dirty, fuzzy bass line crashes in over an insistent guitar riff. One moment the harmonies sound sweet as pie but things change as drummer Wave’s vocals rise to a petulant scream. And as on the first track, Hello Mary aren’t afraid to go from whimsical riffs to shock-the-system heavy guitar distortion. This pattern embeds itself into the album; Hello Mary are adept at shifting mood and tempo although at times songs feel they could be longer and benefit from allow them a little more breathing space.
Three takes the tempo down a little: this track represents another strand of Hello Mary’s songwriting skills and takes a more traditional path: there’s a trilling riff to lull the senses which resurfaces throughout the composition, giving it a strong sense of structure. Straight’s vocals and sublime harmonies are given full rein.
The fifth track, Knowing You, takes the contrast between sweetness and strength to new heights. The overall sound is soothing and shoegazey, featuring ethereal Jane Weaver-style harmonies, layered guitars, and psychedelic, spacey elements. Heavy Sleeper is another standout track: a dreamy journey with less of the theatrics, a space half way through the album to step back, breathe and bring some lush instrumentation. And Bubble takes us back to that mystical vibe, yet again the band temper the sweetness with bass.
Links Hello Mary | Facebook | Frenchkiss Records
Photos: on iPhone from EoTR