Menomena

After multi-instrumentalist Brent Knopf left the band in 2011, critics and fans anxiously awaited what Justin Harris and Danny Seim would deliver on “Moms.”

Menomena might have lost a founding member, but it didn’t lose its sound.
“Moms” preserves the band’s alternating vocals with explosive mixes of electric guitar, saxophone and keyboard, and adds more biting, emotionally charged lyrics.

Though the album opens lightly with “Plumage,” an energetic plea to an unattainable woman, the duo later delves into strained family issues and struggles to overcome personal barriers.

Perhaps the rawest track is “Heavy Is As Heavy Does.” Its eerie piano ballad sound and pained lyrics about Harris’ father is just as the title implies: heavy.

Despite its vulnerable tone, the album is not dense or dejected. Instead, the duo’s progression toward personal growth on the album is affirming.

While the loss of Knopf was unfortunate, “Moms” convinces us in under 50 minutes that maybe it wasn’t so disastrous after all.

By Amanda Arnold