Adult contemporary band Unwed Mothers released their debut self titled album in late March of this year. The album was recorded here in Edmonton at the Sound Extractor studio on the west end of town. For a band that formed less than a year ago, they have an impressively professional sound.
The album begins with the promising indie-rock piece “Skeletons.” This track effectively sets up the dynamic of the band: Julie Adams is appropriately placed at the forefront as a powerful and dynamic lead vocalist, backed by a rhythmic and savvy set of musicians. This is where the group shines; they are at their best when they are mixing indie-rock jams with Adams’ blues-stricken vocals.
The band doesn’t stick too comfortably to this dynamic, however. Tracks like “On The Run” and “Slow” clearly have a country influence. The latter song provides a beautiful and poignant close to the album – an ending that wouldn’t be possible by sticking strictly to rock. My personal favorite song comes second on the album: “Lose Control.” It’s a slow and brooding blues piece loaded with organ. It dramatically shifts from calm and controlled to a spastic outbreak by the band’s rhythm section, subverting the core of the song’s lyrics for a dazzling effect.
If you are looking for a group with great rhythm, tasty keyboard work and one hell of a singer, look no further than Unwed Mothers and their first album.
If you’re interested in seeing them live, their next performance is at Filthy McNasty’s on June 29th followed shortly by another on July 3rd at Wunderbar.
-Eric T. Behr
Filed under: Album + Video Reviews
