Review of Mourn’s Self-Titled Album “Mourn”

By Tre Simmons
Music Reviewer

Artist: Mourn
Album: Mourn
Released: February 17th, 2015
Label: Captured Tracks

Website: Mourn via Captured Tracks

The first word that comes to mind when listening to Mourn’s debut album is exorcism. Whether this spiritual cleansing is successful, however, is entirely up for debate, and this is best demonstrated by penultimate track “Silver Gold.” Here, Jazz Rodríguez Bueno and Carla Pérez Vas unleash a chorus of banshee-like shrieks and cackles drenched in effects amidst a mass of ever expanding guitars while drummer Antonio Postius pounds away at his kit, virtually starting a volcanic eruption and allowing hell to open simultaneously until the song shudders out of sight. It’s powerful, and it definitely isn’t the only moment on their album where they conjure up otherworldly traits through their rock band setup.

While steeped in the world of indie rock and taking influence from touchstones of alternative culture like PJ Harvey and Sleater-Kinney, Mourn stamp their way into the world with a sound all their own. Trebly guitars and a propelling rhythm section are the sonic makeup of Mourn. Lyrically, they touch on concerns pertaining both to their age and gender (none of the members are older than 18 and Antonio is the only male), primarily in the dismissal of boys and their freedom to express themselves. Both “Marshall” and “Jack” address specific people (with the chorus of the former simply stating “When will you / Shut up! / Marshall!”). They aren’t afraid to show emotion either, as track “Philliphius” refrain is direct in its intentions, stating “Crying is alright.”

The album is a whirlwind of thoughts at only 22 minutes long (24 with bonus track and one of its best songs “Boys Are C*nts”). While the brevity of the album and lyrical concerns (as well as the mixing of the album lending itself to missing some of the words sung) might scan as immature and reactionary to some, there is a world of depth in the onslaught of Mourn. Youth is a precious thing that is often the focus of many in music, but coming from people who are still steeped in the experiences of young life as Mourn are, the impact of their sonic attack is that much more visceral in nature. On “Silver Gold” they sing what is essentially the album’s mission statement: “Deliver me from heaven.” Let their exorcism never succeed.