Mother Mooch - Nocturnes Vinyl News

LISTEN TO NOCTURNES: www.mothermooch.bandcamp.com/album/nocturnes

OR: http://open.spotify.com/album/7u62qSjEGIS1eCvU285XCY

WATCH MOTHER MOOCH “HIVE MIND” OFFICIAL VIDEO: https://youtu.be/5JzgFxBl1T4

Dublin psychedelic doom-grunge five piece Mother Mooch self released their debut album Nocturnes in digital format on Friday 13th November 2015 to critical acclaim throughout the international stoner/doom/psych underground. Always intended for vinyl release, the band were on the verge of pressing a vinyl edition of the album themselves when they were contacted by Henry Fauser of Germany’s Krauted Mind Records who had discovered the album on bandcamp and offered a vinyl release through his label. Aware of the fertile stoner/doom/psych scene in Germany and the rest of mainland Europe, Mother Mooch jumped at the chance to get their music heard by a wider audience.

The marbled orange vinyl limited edition comes in a gatefold sleeve with a new interior piece from Illustrations by Emmet Mulligan to accompany his beautifully rendered cover art, and will also shortly be available in the US through Ripple Music’s Heavy Ripples Distribution.

Earlier this year, Mother Mooch recorded and released their darkly cinematic ‘Hive Mind’ video – which was nominated for Dublin Underground Cinema’s Best Music Video Award 2016 – and recruited new bassist Léon Ó’Gríoffa before a setting off on a successful September tour of Ireland’s major cities with an inspired cross section of Ireland’s rising stoner/doom/sludge/psych bands.

Mother Mooch are set to play their first ever European shows in November with dates in Netherlands and Belgium and have plans to tour the U.K. in early 2017.

“The music flows seamlessly through grungy Alice in Chains style vocals, up-beat Venom-esque tempos and groovy psychedelic solos.... A full spectrum of heavy music – from psychedelia to doom to grunge – wrapped up in one beautiful package.” Doomed & Stoned.com (US)

"Another fine debut from a band of the heavy underground global scene... Besides the musicianship which is quite impressive, you’ll hear one of the best female vocal performances of the last year." 

- More Fuzz (FR)

"[A] wonderful and weird sounding mix of Psych, Desert Rock, Blues, Grunge and Stoner Rock given a trippy modern makeover."
- Outlaws of the Sun(UK)

"It is the group effort that makes Mother Mooch who they are. I believe their strong suit is serving the song like many of their 90's elders did."
- Stoner HiVe (NL)

"Behind the relatively simple song structure there’s a concentrated effort of arrangement and technique, and behind the forceful vocal delivery there’s a dedication to honest storytelling. This may be, in fact, why ‘Nocturnes’ manages so successfully to conjure up such a melancholy, introspective atmosphere across its eight tracks." 

- GoldenPlec (IRL)

“Nocturnes” Vinyl Limited Edition is available through Krauted Mind Records: ww.krautedmind.com

US distribution through Heavy Ripples: www.heavyripples.bigcartel.com

Download the album from Mother Mooch’s official store: www.mothermooch.bandcamp.com

Mother Mooch - Nocturnes (Album Review)

Release date: November 13^th 2015. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Nocturnes – Tracklisting

1.This Tempest 04:49

2.Sinners 04:56

3.My Song 21 01:29

4.Into The Water 04:04

5.L.H.O.O.Q. 02:33

6.Misery Hill 04:15

7.Hive Mind 04:51

8.Out On The Western Plain 04:14

Band Members:

Chloë Ní Dhúada: Vocals

Sid Daly: Guitar, backing vocals.

Farl: Guitar

Danni Nolan: Drums

Barry Hayden: Bass

Review:

Ireland's Mother Mooch are an oddity. That's the best way to describe them. Their music defies convention as they don't fall under one category but a wide range of them. Blues Rock, Psych, Fuzz, Stoner, Doom, Desert Rock and even Grunge. Their debut album – Nocturnes – is an addictive slice of Heavy Rock music with Chloë's vocals being the centre of attraction. Don't get me wrong the riffs are fantastic through out but it's Chloë's soulful vocals that holds your attention from the start.

Opening track – The Tempest – is wonderful and weird sounding mix of Psych, Desert Rock, Blues, Grunge and Stoner Rock given a trippy modern makeover. The song and the whole album shouldn't really work but Mother Mooch pull this off with grace and style. The riffs have the right amount of power and excitement to put you in a hypnotic trance.

Second track – Sinners – is an almost seedy Blues Rock offering with the band going for an almost shoe-gaze approach and it sounds superb through out. It's not as heavy as the opening track but Mother Mooch revel in this almost stripped back delivery of what we call ROCK MUSIC. Chloë is on fine form once again as she packs a lot of power with her superb vocals.

Third track – My Song 21 – sees Mother Mooch venture into fast-paced Hard Rock/Stoner/Punk Rock territory that's catchy as hell. It's perhaps the closest Mother Mooch get into full party mood. An upbeat and rebellious offering showing another side to Mother Mooch.

Fourth Track – Into The Water – opts for a more classic 90s grunge sound with delicate vocals to match. It starts off rather quietly and slowly which gives Mother Mooch the chance to lay down some of the albums finest riffs.

The first 4 songs on the album should give you an impression on what to expect for the rest of the album. Though to Mother Mooch's credit they provide a few more surprises especially on songs such as L.H.O.O.Q, Hive Mind and Out On The Western Plain.

The final song – Out On The Western Plain – is an re imagination of Leadbelly classic song - “When The Boys Were Out On The Western Plains”. OK, a ton of other artists have covered this song in the past such as Rory Gallagher but Mother Mooch have given this classic song a Fuzz/Stoner Rock makevoer. And the results are impressive indeed. This version has a few spaced out riffs and I never expected that at all as I'm a huge fan of the original and Rory Gallagher version.

Nocturnes is an excellent debut album from Mother Mooch. It's a shame it's all over and done within 30 minutes as the album could have done with another song just to end it. Apart from that, Mother Mooch have delivered an outstanding debut album. Check out that awesome album cover as well.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp